A Guide to the Women in Texas Government Exhibit Collection, 1931-1995

Historical Note

The "Women in Texas Government" exhibit, which consists of portraits of women who have served in the Texas legislature, was first displayed in the Capitol Rotunda on Susan B. Anthony Day, 1987. The exhibit originated as a Texas Sesquicentennial project funded at state expense through members of the Women's Legislative Caucus, a group consisting of women House members. In 1994, the exhibit was updated with funding by Patrick M.W. Johnson, Aide to State Representative Senfronia Thompson. Johnson and Kelly Martino of Houston collected new photographs, created, designed, and constructed the updated exhibit. When the exhibit was first shown in 1987, fewer than 75 women had held an elected state office. By 1994 when the exhibit was first updated, more than 100 women had served Texas in an elected state office. Johnson updated the exhibit on several occasions after 1994.

The original exhibit was freestanding with images of women legislators mounted and matted on blue particleboard. To complete the exhibit, eight Texas artists volunteered their time and talent to sketch the portraits of women officeholders whose photographs were unavailable. The artists are Mary Ann Ambray Gonzales, Beauford Anderson, Rosario Azíos, Martha F. Droughton, Rachel Gaitán, Marisa Susan Lobe, Jean Zappe Reese, and Kevin Wilson.

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Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of 77 portraits of women who have served in the Texas legislature, as well as accompanying captions and credits displayed in the "Women in Texas Government" exhibit.

The collection is divided into 2 series. Images of Women Legislators is organized into Representatives and Senators, and thereunder arranged alphabetically by last name. Accompanying this finding aid is an alphabetical index of women by legislators' last name. The index provides information on the legislators' party affiliation, hometown, and years served. Captions and Credits provides informational material highlighting historical facts about, and contributions of certain women legislators on exhibit. Also included in this series are credits to those who contributed to the exhibit, including brief notes on the artists who drew portraits for the exhibit. Also in this series are negatives from photographs taken of some of the portraits of women legislators in the exhibit. The negatives were provided by Ruthe Winegarten.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Women in Texas Government Exhibit Collection, MS 17, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Information

Materials in this collection were donated by Patrick M.W. Johnson in 1996 (Acc. 1996-006).

Processing Information

Processed by Toni Jeske, November 1998.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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