Otto Mullinax was born in Clearwater, TX on June 28, 1912. He attended the University of Texas and received a BA and LL.B degree in 1937. While at the University of Texas, he became involved in progressive politics and ran for Texas public office as a student. He went on to found and participate in many progressive organizations, including the Progressive Democrats, Chaparral Club, and others. He co-founded the Dallas law firm Mullinax & Wells in 1947, which participated in labor and segregation litigation. It also served as general counsel to the Texas State Federation of Labor. He represented cases for the ACLU and was one of the founders of the progressive biweekly journal, Texas Observer. He is considered by many to have played a leading role in progressive politics in Texas. Otto Mullinax died in Dallas, TX on March 14, 2000.
Biographical note prepared using material from the collection and biographical information published in Marquis Who’s Who on the Web .
From the guide to the Otto Mullinax Papers 2008-158., 1935-1998, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
