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Spindletop
The discovery of “black gold” at the Spindletop oil field near Beaumont launched Texas into a century of oil exploration, electronics, and manned space travel. -
Texas Adopts the 19th Amendment
After years of struggle, a bill permitting women to vote passed in both the Texas House and Senate. Governor William P. Hobby signed it into law on March 26, 1918. On June 28, 1919, Texas became the first state to approve the 19th Amendment, winning women the right to vote in national elections. -
Ma Ferguson First Woman Governor Elected in Texas
Miriam "Ma" Ferguson was the first woman governor of Texas, serving two terms (1924-1926, and 1932-1934). She ran on a platform condemning the Ku Klux Klan, proposing spending cuts, and opposing Prohibition. -
Sweatt v. Painter; UT Law School is Integrated
When African -American student Heman Marion Sweatt applied for admission to the University of Texas School of Law, he was rejected on the grounds that integrated education was prohibited. Sweatt, with the help of civil rights activists, sued the state. Eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Sweatt and ordered the end of segregated professional schools. -
Brown v. Board of Education; End of Segregation in Public Schools
Following the Supreme Court decision to end segregation in profession schools, the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education further extended those rights to all schools in the United States. Students of all races were allowed to attend the same schools. San Antonio was among the first cities in the U.S. to comply with the order. -
Manned Spacecraft Center Opens in Houston
The American response to the Sputnik launches resulted in the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), allocating funds for numerous space projects. The Manned Spacecraft Center was built in 1962 just outside of Houston. -
President John F. Kennedy Assassinated in Dallas
President John F. Kennedy flew to Texas to attend several events across the state. On November 22, he flew to Dallas to speak at a luncheon. Kennedy rode in an open car motorcade through downtown Dallas, along with his wife Jacqueline, Texas Governor John Connally and Texas First Lady Nellie Connally,. As they entered Dealey Plaza on Elm Street, shots rang out. Both Kennedy and Connally were struck. They were rushed to Parkland Hospital where President Kennedy was pronounced dead shortly after. -
George H.W. Bush Elected President of the U.S.
he served as ambassador to the United Nations, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and vice-president of the United States under Ronald Reagan. Bush was elected to the presidency in 1988.Bush was elected to the presidency in 1988. -
Kay Bailey Hutchison First Woman from Texas Elected to U.S. Senate
In 1993, Kay Bailey Hutchison became the first woman to represent the state of Texas in the U.S. Senate, winning the election by an overwhelming majority. -
George W. Bush Elected President in 2000
In 2000, Bush was elected president of the United States, and reelected in 2004.