Texas State Historical Association facts for kids

The Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) is a non-profit group that helps people learn about the amazing history of Texas. It was started in Austin, Texas, on March 2, 1897. The TSHA has moved its offices a few times, including to the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, and then back to the University of Texas at Austin.

How the TSHA Started

On February 13, 1897, ten people met to talk about creating a group to share Texas history. George Pierce Garrison, who was in charge of the history department at the University of Texas, led the meeting. The TSHA officially began on March 2, 1897.

Oran Milo Roberts was chosen as the TSHA's very first president. Other important people who helped start the group included Guy M. Bryan, Anna Pennybacker, Bride Neill Taylor, and Dudley G. Wooten. About 20 to 30 people attended this first meeting. One of the founders was John Henninger Reagan.

At this first meeting, George P. Garrison said it was important to save old documents and records about Texas. These are called archival materials.

There was a small disagreement at the meeting about whether women should be called "lady members" instead of just "members." John Salmon Ford wanted to change the rules to say "lady members" for women. George Garrison and others disagreed. Bride Neill Taylor spoke up and said there was no need to change anything. Ford was upset, but his idea to create a separate name for women members was voted down by everyone else. The other founders wanted Ford's help because he was a well-known politician, but they still believed in treating everyone equally.

The first president was Oran Milo Roberts. Dudley G. Wooten, Guy M. Bryan, Julia Lee Sinks, and Charles Corner were chosen as vice presidents. In 1897, it cost $2 a year to be a member.

The TSHA held yearly meetings in Austin. The first one was on June 17, 1897. They talked about interesting topics like "The Expulsion of the Cherokees From East Texas" and "The Last Survivor of the Goliad Massacre." By 1928, the TSHA had grown to 500 members.

Important People in TSHA

Many people have helped the TSHA over the years. Here are a few:

• Ben H. Procter: He was president from 1979 to 1980.
• Merline Pitre: She was president from 2011 to 2012.
• Florence Warfield Sillers

TSHA Special Members

Some people are chosen as "fellows" for their great work in Texas history.

• Paul H. Carlson (1992): He was a professor at Texas Tech and an expert on Texas and the American West.
• A. C. Greene: He was a book critic, historian, and writer.

Learning Programs

The TSHA has many programs to help students and teachers learn about Texas history:

• Educational Department: Started in 1939, this department helps schools teach Texas history.
• Junior Historians of Texas: This is an after-school program for students in grades four through twelve.
• Texas History Day: Students in grades six through twelve can show off their history knowledge at an annual state-level history fair.
• History Awareness Workshops: These workshops help teachers find new ways to teach history in their classrooms.
• Heritage Travel Program: This is a one-week summer trip that explores a specific part of Texas history.

Leaders of the TSHA

Here are some of the people who have served as president of the TSHA:

• Oran M. Roberts (1897–1898)
• Dudley G. Wooten (1898–1899)
• John H. Reagan (1899–1905)
• David F. Houston (1905–1907)
• Alexander W. Terrell (1907–1912)
• Adele Briscoe Looscan (1915–1925)
• Harbert Davenport (1939–1942)
• Pat Ireland Nixon (1946–1949)
• Herbert P. Gambrell (1951–1953)
• J. P. Bryan, Sr. (1965–1967)

See also

In Spanish: Asociación Histórica del Estado de Texas para niños

• West Texas Historical Association, based in Lubbock, Texas