Ann Richards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ann Richards
Richards in 1992
45th Governor of Texas
In office January 15, 1991 – January 17, 1995
Lieutenant	Bob Bullock
Preceded by	Bill Clements
Succeeded by	George W. Bush
Treasurer of Texas
In office January 18, 1983 – January 15, 1991
Governor	Mark White Bill Clements
Preceded by	Warren Harding
Succeeded by	Kay Bailey Hutchison
Personal details
Born	Dorothy Ann Willis (1933-09-01)September 1, 1933 Lakeview, Texas (now Lacy Lakeview), U.S.
Died	September 13, 2006(2006-09-13) (aged 73) Austin, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	Texas State Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Dave Richards ​ ​ (m. 1953; div. 1984)​
Children	4, including Cecile
Relatives	Gary Tinterow (first cousin once removed)
Education	Baylor University (BA) University of Texas at Austin

Dorothy Ann Richards (September 1, 1933 – September 13, 2006) was an American politician and teacher. She served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995. Richards was a member of the Democratic Party. She became famous across the United States for her clever humor, quick wit, and powerful public speaking skills. She was only the second woman to ever serve as the governor of Texas.

Before becoming governor, Richards worked as a junior high school teacher. She later served as a county commissioner and as the Texas State Treasurer. She gained national attention in 1988 after delivering a lively keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. Throughout her career in public service, Richards focused on improving public education, reforming state government, and creating opportunities for women and minorities.

Early Life and Growing Up

Childhood in Central Texas

Dorothy Ann Willis was born on September 1, 1933, in Lakeview, Texas, which is now part of Lacy Lakeview. She was the only child of Robert Cecil Willis and Mildred Iona Warren Willis. Her father worked as a traveling salesman and served in the military during World War II. Her mother took care of the family home. Both of her parents grew up in Texas.

During her childhood, Richards lived in Waco. Her family briefly moved to San Diego, California, during the war years before returning to Texas. When she started high school, she decided to stop using her first name, Dorothy, and went by her middle name, Ann.

High School and Discovering Politics

Richards attended Waco High School, where she stood out as an energetic and bright student. She joined the school debate team, where she learned how to speak in public and build strong arguments. These debate skills helped shape her future political career.

While in high school, Richards attended Girls State, a special youth leadership program where students run a model government. Because of her leadership skills, her peers chose her to represent Texas at the national event, Girls Nation, in Washington, D.C. During this trip, she met national leaders and discovered her passion for government service and community leadership. She graduated from Waco High School in 1950.

College and Early Career in Teaching

Richards attended Baylor University on a debate scholarship. She studied hard, competed on the debate circuit, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1953, she married her high school sweetheart, David Richards.

The couple moved to Austin, where Richards earned her state teaching certificate at the University of Texas at Austin. From 1955 to 1956, she taught social studies and American history at Fulmore Junior High School. She enjoyed helping middle school students understand history and modern citizenship. She believed that an educated public was necessary for a fair democracy.

Later, the family lived in Dallas and Washington, D.C., before returning permanently to Austin in 1969. Richards and her husband raised four children: Cecile, Daniel, Clarke, and Ellen. During this time, Richards volunteered for various community causes and managed political campaigns for progressive Texas candidates.

Early Political Career

Travis County Commissioner

Richards entered electoral politics in 1976 when she ran for a seat on the Travis County Commissioners' Court. The commissioners' court is the local governing body responsible for managing county budgets, building roads, and providing public services.

Richards won the election and served as a county commissioner for six years. During her time in local office, she earned a reputation as a hard worker who studied local budgets carefully. She worked to make local government more open to everyday citizens and encouraged equal opportunities for all residents.

Texas State Treasurer

In 1982, Richards ran for statewide office as the Democratic nominee for Texas State Treasurer. When she won the general election in November 1982, she became the first woman elected to a statewide executive office in Texas in more than fifty years.

As state treasurer, Richards modernized the treasury department. She introduced computer technology to speed up payments and invested state funds to earn more interest for Texas taxpayers. Her management generated millions of extra dollars for the state budget. In 1986, Texas voters re-elected her to a second term as treasurer without any major party opposition.

The 1988 Keynote Address

Richards speaking to university graduates in 1992

Richards stepped into the national spotlight during the 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Party leaders invited her to deliver the keynote address to a television audience of millions.

Her speech became famous for its humor and folksy sayings. She spoke about the challenges facing working-class families and urged leaders to make government work better for regular people. She highlighted the role of women in history and society, noting that women had worked just as hard as men to build the country.

The speech made Richards a political celebrity across the United States. In 1989, she published her autobiography, titled Straight from the Heart: My Life in Politics and Other Places, which detailed her path from a small-town Texas childhood into leadership.

Governor of Texas (1991–1995)

The 1990 Gubernatorial Campaign

In 1990, Republican Governor Bill Clements decided to retire. Richards entered a tough Democratic primary race against Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox and former governor Mark White. Richards won the nomination after a spirited runoff campaign.

In the general election, Richards faced Republican nominee Clayton Williams, a wealthy West Texas businessman. The campaign was closely watched nationwide. Richards campaigned on a message of building a "New Texas" that included people from all walks of life. On November 6, 1990, Richards won the election with nearly 49 percent of the vote.

Inauguration and Vision for a "New Texas"

Governor Ann Richards in October 1992

Richards was inaugurated as the 45th governor of Texas on January 15, 1991. She was the second woman to hold the state's highest office, following Miriam A. Ferguson, who served in the 1920s and 1930s.

In her inaugural address, Richards promised to open the doors of state government to everyone. She appointed more women, Hispanic Americans, and African Americans to state boards, commissions, and judgeships than any previous Texas governor. She believed that state leadership should look like the diverse population of Texas.

Key Policies and Accomplishments

During her four years as governor, Richards worked on several major reforms to modernize state services and improve public life:

• Education Reform: Richards placed high priority on public schools. In January 1991, she held a large statewide youth assembly to hear directly from students and teachers about what classrooms needed. She supported new funding rules, known as the "Robin Hood plan," to make funding more equal between wealthy and lower-income school districts.
• The Texas Lottery: To help fund public education without raising general taxes, Texas voters approved the creation of the Texas Lottery. Governor Richards bought the very first scratch-off ticket in Oak Hill, Texas, on May 29, 1992.
• Economic Growth and the Arts: Richards actively promoted Texas business, film, and music. She moved the Texas Film Commission and the Texas Music Office into the governor's office to attract entertainment productions and create new jobs.
• State Government Efficiency: She initiated the Texas Performance Review, a system designed to inspect state agencies, reduce waste, and save taxpayer money.
• Public Safety: Richards oversaw an expansion of the state corrections system and supported educational programs for inmates to help them learn job skills and become productive citizens after their release.

Governor Richards with First Lady Hillary Clinton in 1993

Richards worked closely with leaders of both political parties, including Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock. Together, they passed major legislation aimed at improving state infrastructure and managing natural resources.

The 1994 Election

In 1994, Richards ran for re-election to a second term as governor. Her Republican opponent was businessman George W. Bush, who later became the 43rd President of the United States.

The 1994 election took place during a nationwide political wave that favored the Republican Party. Despite Richards' personal popularity, Bush ran a disciplined campaign focusing on education standards, juvenile justice, and welfare reform. Bush won the election on November 8, 1994, earning 53.5 percent of the vote to Richards' 45.9 percent. Richards finished her term in January 1995.

Life After the Governorship

Public Speaking and Consulting

After leaving the governor's mansion, Richards remained very active in public life. She worked as a senior advisor for major law and communications firms in Austin, Washington, D.C., and New York City. She joined the boards of 여러 non-profit groups and educational institutions, including the Aspen Institute.

Richards was an in-demand speaker who traveled across the country to talk about leadership, government, and civic participation. She also made occasional guest appearances on television programs and in public service announcements.

Commitment to Education and Mentorship

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

Richards never lost her love for teaching. From 1997 to 1998, she served as a visiting professor of politics at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, where she taught college students about the inner workings of American government. In 1998, she became a trustee of the university.

In 2005, she taught a leadership seminar at the University of Texas at Austin. She enjoyed mentoring young people, particularly young women who wanted to enter public service, business, or community activism.

Promoting Health Awareness

In 1996, doctors diagnosed Richards with osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones. Instead of slowing down, she decided to educate others about the disease. She changed her exercise routine and diet, and her bone strength improved.

In 2004, Richards co-wrote a helpful health guide titled I'm Not Slowing Down: Winning My Battle with Osteoporosis. In the book, she encouraged readers to stay active, eat nutritious foods rich in calcium, and get regular medical checkups.

Creating the Ann Richards School

One of Richards' final major projects was planning a public college-preparatory school for girls in Austin. She wanted to give young women from all economic backgrounds the skills, tools, and confidence to become future leaders.

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders opened in August 2007, serving students in grades 6 through 12. The curriculum emphasizes science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), along with leadership and community service. Today, the school serves hundreds of middle and high school students in the Austin Independent School District.

Promotion of Arts, Music, and Culture

Richards visiting NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston in 1992

Throughout her public career, Richards worked hard to promote the cultural heritage of Texas:

• Texas Film Commission: Richards traveled to California to convince movie and television studios to film on location in Texas, which brought millions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the state.
• Support for Music: She supported the growth of music events like South by Southwest (SXSW) and the Austin City Limits music festival, helping Austin earn its nickname as the "Live Music Capital of the World."
• Texas Film Hall of Fame: She helped create the Texas Film Hall of Fame to celebrate actors, directors, and screenwriters from Texas.
• History Documentaries: Richards participated in historical film projects, including Ken Burns' educational documentary series The West, where she shared insights about frontier history.

Honors and Recognition

During her decades of public service, Richards received numerous awards from civic and educational organizations:

• Baylor Distinguished Alumni Award: Awarded by her alma mater for her achievements in public service.
• Texas NAACP Award: Presented by the NAACP for her efforts to expand civil rights and include diverse communities in government.
• National Wildlife Federation Award: Honoring her work to conserve Texas natural resources, parks, and wildlife.
• Order of the Aztec Eagle: The highest honor given by the Mexican government to foreign citizens, awarded to Richards for strengthening friendship and trade between Texas and Mexico.
• Texas Women's Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1993 in recognition of her public leadership.

Final Years and Remembrance

Richards' monument at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin

In March 2006, Richards announced that she was receiving treatment for cancer at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She remained cheerful and spent her time with her children and grandchildren.

Richards died at her home in Austin on September 13, 2006, at the age of 73. Thousands of Texans visited the Texas State Capitol rotunda to pay their respects while her casket lay in state. Leaders from both major political parties attended her memorial services. She was buried at the historic Texas State Cemetery in Austin.

In November 2006, the city of Austin renamed the historic downtown bridge on Congress Avenue as the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in her memory. Richards is remembered as a pioneering Texas leader who opened doors for future generations of women in public life.

Election History

Gubernatorial Elections

Images for kids

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  The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin

See also

In Spanish: Ann Richards para niños