Elliott, Thelma Mitchell

Ora Herman "O. H." Elliott (1906-1984) and Thelma Mitchell Elliott (1912-1998), both leaders in the African American community, were involved in Texas and national politics as well as community and civic organizations in Austin. They wed in 1939 and had two daughters, Ora Anne (b. 1945), who was active in politics throughout her life, and Thelma Karen (b. 1958).

O. H. Elliott was born in Arkansas and graduated from the University of Kansas School of Business in 1933 before pursuing a career in academia, as Business Manager and Instructor at Samuel Huston College in Austin (1935-1942, 1945-1952), as Business Manager at Clark College in Atlanta, Georgia (1942-1945), and also as Chief Accountant and Associate Professor (1952-1956) when Samuel Huston College later become Huston-Tillotson College. O. H. Elliott was active in the Democratic Party, attending national conferences and events and supporting Texas politicians J.J. Pickle and Ben Barnes, as well as Lyndon B. Johnson in his 1964 Presidential campaign. In Austin, O. H. Elliott was a member of the Parks and Recreation Board, a Chairman of the Harry Lot Division of Boy Scouts of America, Grand Secretary of the Most Worshipful St. Joseph Grand Lodge, and Chairman of the Trustee Board of the Wesley United Methodist Church. He was a founding member of the Capital City Lions Club and the Capital City Argus, a local weekly newspaper serving the African-American community.

Thelma Mitchell Elliott was born in San Antonio Texas and was one of the first African-Americans to complete a Master's degree in Social Work at the University of Texas-Austin (1954). Thelma Elliott held various administrative positions for government and community groups including Travis County Juvenile Court, Project ENABLE, Austin-Travis County Mental Health-Mental Retardation Center, Texas Office of Economic Opportunity, and the Continuing Education division of the Texas Department of Human Services, from which she retired. As the Director of Project ENABLE, Elliott provided assistance to parents' organizations in poverty areas. She was active in the St. James Episcopal Church.