A Guide to the Frank Craig Erwin, Jr. Papers, 1900-1980

Biographical Note

Frank Craig Erwin, Jr. was born in Waxahachie, Texas on January 24, 1920, the son of Frank C. Erwin and Margaret Edwards. Erwin entered the University of Texas in 1937 and was admitted into Phi Beta Kappa in 1942. An active member of Kappa Sigma, he was also elected to honor fraternities for freshmen (Phi Eta Sigma) and in Government (Phi Sigma Alpha). Erwin served in the Navy during World War II before returning to UT to receive his law degree in 1948.

Following a brief career as an attorney in Austin, Texas, Erwin cultivated ties with the conservative Democratic faction of the Texas state legislature. He became an assistant to John B. Connally’s campaign for the Texas governorship in 1961, a position that later led to his friendship with Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1962, he served as chairman of the resolutions committee at the state Democratic convention and later as secretary and chairman of the state Democratic Executive Committee. From 1964 to 1968, he was the Democratic national committeeman from Texas. Erwin also served as the vice chairman of the Texas delegation to the 1964 Democratic National Convention and the state delegate for the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Erwin served as a member of the University of Texas System Board of Regents from 1963 to 1975 and held the office of chairman from 1966 to 1971. During Erwin’s tenure with the Board of Regents, he facilitated the increase of university appropriations and building contracts through the cachet of his political ties to the state legislature. Erwin’s chairmanship was also marked by a vocal opposition to liberal professors and student activist movements on campus.

In 1975, Erwin left the University of Texas System to again practice law. He was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the university’s Alumni Association in 1979. The University Special Events Center was named in his honor after his death.

Erwin died of a heart attack on October 1, 1980 in Galveston, Texas.

Sources:

Mitchell Lerner, "ERWIN, FRANK CRAIG, JR.," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fer08), accessed February 03, 2013. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

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Scope and Contents

The personal papers of Frank Craig Erwin, Jr. (1920-1980), Austin attorney and University of Texas regent from 1963 to 1975, contain correspondence, financial records, scrapbook materials, and photographs documenting his early social and academic life as a student, in addition to his career as a regent. The collection includes Erwin family genealogical materials and a tape cassette of Erwin's funeral. Also featured in the papers are Erwin’s original office records.

Archivist's note

Erwin’s office records were donated by Jeff D. Sandefer, creator of the Frank C. Erwin, Jr. History Project in 2009 and are currently unprocessed.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

A portion of this collection is stored remotely. Advance notice required for retrieval. Contact repository for retrieval.

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Related Material

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Separated Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Frank Craig Erwin, Jr. Papers, 1900-1980, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Francis Delor Angeles, April 1984.

Subsequent revisions made by archives staff; Vanessa Attia, January 2013.

This collection contains unprocessed materials.

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Detailed Description of the Papers

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