League of Women Voters of Texas

Organized in 1903 as the Texas Woman Suffrage Association, changed to the Texas Equal Suffrage Association in 1916, and later merged into the Texas League of Women Voters on October 10, 1919.

The League of Women Voters of Texas is a non-partisan organization which works to promote political responsibility through active informed participation of all citizens in their government. The national organization was founded in 1920 and shortly afterward began organizing state groups.

The League of Women Voters of Texas is a non-partisan organization that works to promote political responsibility through active informed participation of all citizens in their government. In 1919, the Texas Equal Suffrage Association evolved into the Texas League of Women Voters, and today is recognized as the League of Women Voters of Texas. Their hallmark activity is the circulation of Voters' Guides through newspapers prior to elections; locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally. The League's intent is dissemination of information on political candidates, and the objective promotion of political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. The organization's efforts, however, are by no means limited to politics, but also address issues on water, health care, hazardous wastes, education, energy, and such international concerns as the United Nations.

The records of the League of Women Voters of Texas also reflect socio-economic changes in the United States with the active organizational membership drives of the mid to late 1970s in response to American society's evolution into a two income family. Collectively, the materials provide researchers with invaluable insight into politics and political concerns on an international, national, statewide, and local basis.

In 1919, the Texas Equal Suffrage Association evolved into the Texas League of Women Voters and, subsequently today, is recognized as the League of Women Voters of Texas. According to The New Handbook of Texas, each state League holds common goals and structure plus some shared funding with the national organization, however, each state is responsible for their own program. The Southwest Collection announces the addition of` forty-nine boxes to the existing 304 box collection from the organization.

The most recent donation spans from 1919-1997. The material includes correspondence, minutes, speeches, films and videos, financial material, cassette tapes, photographs, books, legal material, legislative files, newspapers, reports, publications, scrapbooks, and city/county/regional League chapter records. The trademark of the League of Women Voters is their Voters' Guides that newspapers circulate prior to elections. The organization's goal is to provide citizenry with objective information on political candidates running for office. The League is also involved with educating the public through the dissemination of data addressing issues on hazardous and nuclear wastes, education, health care, human resources, water, and such international concerns as the United Nations. Additionally, six oversize boxes house newspapers, Voters' Guides, blueprints, and posters.

Highlights from the donation are: the original 1919 minutes from the Texas Equal Suffrage Association authorizing the organizational conversion to the Texas League of Women Voters, films produced by the group on legislative processes, the 104th Congressional recognition given and signed by Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison on the 75th anniversary of the League of Women Voters of Texas, and the flag that flew over the Texas capitol on that day.

The records of the League of Women Voters of Texas also reflect socio-economic changes in the United States with the active organizational membership drives of the mid to late 1970s in response to American society's evolution into a two income family. Collectively, the materials provide researchers with invaluable insight into politics and political concerns on an international, national, statewide, and local basis.