Historian, educator and lecturer Ruthe Winegarten was born and raised in Texas. She received a Masters of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Arlington in 1970. From 1975-1978 she served as a visiting instructor and community coordinator at The University of Texas at Dallas, where she worked toward a doctorate in the history of ideas. Through the Texas Foundation for Women’s Resources, she began working on the Texas Women’s History Project in 1978. She edited Texas Women’s History Project: Bibliography, and served as research director and curator of the Foundation’s traveling exhibit “Texas Women: A Celebration of History” which appeared throughout Texas in 1981 and 1982. Winegarten wrote and co-wrote 18 books focusing on the history of women, African-Americans, Latin-Americans, and Jews in Texas. In 1983 Winegarten published I Am Annie Mae, the story of black entrepreneur Annie Mae Hunt. Winegarten crafted the book into a musical which toured nationally. Other works by Winegarten include Black Texas Women: A Sourcebook; Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923-1999; and Las Tejanas: 300 Years of History. Throughout her life Winegarten participated in various community organizations, including the League of Women Voters and B’nai B’rith. She served as Southwest Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League. In June 2004, Ruthe Winegarten died in Austin at the age of 74.
From the guide to the Winegarten (Ruthe) papers, 1912-2004, (Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
