Suffrage in Texas Expanded (SITE)

Adair took part in the Black Women’s oral history project to chronicle her political life and struggles in the NAACP and segregation as an African American woman suffragist in Texas. Among her achievements, she helped desegregate the Houston library and end the white primary.

Diane Ragsdale discusses civil rights and the NAACP work with Juanita Craft.

Gillette completed an oral history about the life of Texas activist, Juanita Craft, who considered voting rights the transition to “cross the bridge” to equality including housing and fair pay.

Betty discusses her experiences voting both in and outside of the Democratic party and the need to vote for the person and not the party. Interesting corroboration of the African American community needing to break away from the traditional political structures, because they often do not serve them.

Discussion on voting rights, poll taxes and KKK by African American women in Tyler.

Rodriguez is the first clerk of color in Travis County, Texas.

Short recording and history of the noted Texas NAACP activist.

Tenayuca discusses her political activist work in particular discusses voting rights specific to the poll tax for Latinos and how the election of the corrupt Ma Ferguson (despite her being against the KKK) changed her political attitude. Tenayuca discusses organizing and the need for radical change and attention to global issues in respect to capital and workers.

Discussion of women organizing and attempting to create wider access to voting rights and registration.

Oral history about Flores discussing her political career and the defeat of the ERA.

Oral history of the life and political career of Morales, 145th district representative discussing civil rights.

Lara discusses voter ID laws and the attempt to discourage minority population and need for translations from Spanish to English to be available at the polls.

Fraga’s work discussed the expansion of the 1975 Voting Rights Act by a one-man pioneer, Al Pérez who utilized the testimony of civil rights attorney, Vilma Martínez. She testified that English literacy was still a component of voter discrimination for those of Mexican descent (15). Barbara Jordan, Houston politician, also supported this act and testified on behalf of it and continued to create coalition support (15).

González ran with Raza Unida and the National Chicana Political Caucus becoming the first Latina elected to city council in San Angelo (99). The author uses the term Chicana politics to suggest the connections between her Mexican background and her community to challenge hegemonic structures.

Jimenez discusses her experiences as a community organizer and political activist for Raza Unida Party (RUP) specific to gaining access for all despite class, race and gender. She was the chair of Raza Unida and was a famed Chicana Activist, running for Texas State Representative within a third-party platform. Strong example of a testimonio.

Salinas joined Raza Unida and worked organizing for voter access, suggesting the poll tax took away equal rights for all Latinx people who were unable to afford it.

Arriaga discusses the language bias against voter Latina voters in the 1950s. She eventually ran and won city council to advocate for her rights.

Galvan discusses her time as a voter registration activist and youth organizer for Latinx people.

Uresti was an advocate for Latinx voter registration and ran for city council. She worked specifically for the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and spoke in favor of the 1975 extension to the Voting Rights Act.

Interview, transcript and oral history of Mexican political organizing. State Representative Rangel was the first woman to work with the DA, opened a law office in Kingsville and served 11 terms in the Texas legislature.