Frances Farenthold facts for kids

Mary Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold (October 2, 1926 – September 26, 2021) was an important American leader. She was a politician, a lawyer, and an activist who worked for human rights. People remember her for trying to become governor of Texas twice. She also ran for Vice President in 1972 and came in second place. In 1973, she became the first leader of the National Women's Political Caucus. This group helps women get involved in politics.

Early Life and Education

Mary Frances Tarlton was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, on October 2, 1926. Her dad, Benjamin Dudley Tarlton, Jr., was a district attorney. She got the nickname "Sissy" because her older brother couldn't say "sister" yet.

Sissy went to the Hockaday School. Then, she graduated from Vassar College in 1946. In 1949, she finished law school at the University of Texas School of Law. She was one of only three women in a class of 800 students.

Her family had many lawyers and judges. Her grandfather, Judge Benjamin D. Tarlton Sr., was a chief justice. He also taught at the University of Texas Law School. The law library there is named after him.

Political Career

Sissy Farenthold began her political journey in 1968. She was elected to the Texas House of Representatives. She represented Nueces and Kleberg counties. At that time, she was the only woman serving in the Texas House. Senator Barbara Jordan was the only woman in the Texas Senate. They worked together to support the Equal Legal Rights Amendment for Texas.

Farenthold was the third woman ever nominated for Vice President by a major political party. This happened at the 1972 Democratic National Convention. She received many votes, coming in second place. She got more votes than several well-known senators and governors.

She tried to become the Democratic candidate for governor of Texas in 1972 and 1974. However, she lost both times to Dolph Briscoe. In 1973, she was chosen as the first leader of the National Women's Political Caucus. Later, she was the president of Wells College in New York from 1976 to 1980.

In 1978, Farenthold started the Public Leadership Education Network. She believed women's colleges should work together. This would help educate and prepare women for leadership roles.

Human Rights Work

While at Wells College, Farenthold became more involved in human rights. She worked with women's groups and groups that wanted peace. She was active in Helsinki Watch, which later became Human Rights Watch. She also worked with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

After leaving Wells College in 1980, she returned to Houston. She opened her own law practice and taught law at the University of Houston. She also spent a lot of time working for women's rights around the world. She worked with her cousin, Genevieve Vaughan, for ten years.

Farenthold and Vaughan helped organize the Peace Tent at a U.N. conference in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1985. They also helped start Women For a Meaningful Summit. This group wanted to stop nuclear weapons. Farenthold also worked with the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS). With IPS, she traveled to investigate human rights issues in Central America and Iraq.

She was an honorary trustee for the Institute for Policy Studies. She also served on the advisory board for the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice at the University of Texas. She was also an honorary director of the Rothko Chapel in Houston.

Personal Life

Sissy Farenthold married George Farenthold in 1950. They divorced in 1985. They had five children: Dudley, George Jr., Emilie, and twins Vincent and James.

Death

Sissy Farenthold passed away on September 26, 2021. She was 94 years old. She died at her home in Houston from problems caused by Parkinson's disease.