Prints and Photographs Collection
James V Allred
The Texas Centennial celebration in 1936, marking 100 years of Texas independence, was a bright spot for Texas in the middle of the Great Depression. With state and federal money, Texas transformed the Texas State Fair grounds in Dallas into a world's fair with permanent buildings. Governor Allred was tireless in seeking publicity and advertising for the Centennial, including this trip to California to meet with Paramount stars and executives to try to persuade the motion picture studio to make a series of films about Texas heroes. Allred is second from right in this photo.
Though attendance at the fair fell short of expectations, Texas had gained much favorable nationwide publicity and gained a much-needed economic shot-in-the-arm.