American Legion. Auxiliary. Dept. of Texas.

In 1919, the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) was established as a civilian association for women to support the American Legion, a U.S. military veterans organization founded by men who served during World War I. The Auxiliary’s constitution set forth its goals: to help veterans and American youth, to defend the U.S. Constitution and democracy, to promote nationalism and community involvement, and to support peace and justice. In 1921, the official memorial flower of the Auxiliary became the Poppy of Flanders Field, and the ALA began its well-known poppy program with each department distributing crepe paper poppies in exchange for donations to assist disabled veterans. Four years later, the ALA moved the national headquarters to Indianapolis, Indiana, where the American Legion’s headquarters already resided, and it also joined the Fédération Interalliée des Anciens Combattants (Federation of Interallied ex-Service men), or FIDAC.

On December 20, 1920, the Department of Texas held its first meeting in San Antonio, later establishing its headquarters in Austin. The first president, Mrs. E. C. Murray, served two terms from 1920 to 1922, with the first secretary, Ada Mae Maddox, serving until 1930. The department increased from 23 Units and 400 members its first year to nearly 100 units and over 4,000 members in its second year. By 1949, over 500 units and over 22,000 members composed the Department of Texas, and as of 2010 that membership total still holds.

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