If the Lone Star Menu exhibit on view in our lobby has you craving a conversation about Texas cuisine, the Texas Center of the Book has just the event for you! Please join us on Monday, Sept. 22 from 2:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. for a talk with The Tacos of Texas author Mando Rayo.
Rayo is a taco journalist and the co-creator of the United Tacos of America TV show, host of the Tacos of Texas podcast (now in its fifth season), and author of The Tacos of Texas book. As an avid taco ambassador, food explorer, and street ethnographer, Mando has traveled across the U.S. to uncover the tastiest tacos, from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to L.A. and from New Orleans to New York City. Mando was also a James Beard Foundation Awards finalist in 2022. He will be in conversation with Texas Center for the Book Coordinator Michele Chan Santos for the September installment of #TXBookChat LIVE.
Hosted in the Public Event Space at the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building located in the Capitol Complex, 1201 Brazos St. in Austin, this event is free and open to the public.
Parking is available at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage across the street. Additional parking options, including handicapped parking, along with directions and maps, is available on TSLAC’s website at www.tsl.texas.gov/visit.
The Texas Center for the Book’s #TXBookChat series has provided a platform for discussions with authors, librarians, and literary professionals since 2020. These informal events offer a quick look into different aspects of the state’s literary world. For more information, and to view videos of past events, visit the website at www.tsl.texas.gov/txbookchat.
U.S. Army Air Corps intelligence school for officers held at DPS Headquarters, Camp Mabry, Colonel L.A. Dayton, School Number Three, commanding, February 1943. Texas Department of Public Safety public relations photographs,1983/112 M-131-10. View in the TDA.
Texas played a significant role in the United States’ involvement in World War II. While the war caused great upheaval, it also opened up opportunities for various population groups. Women could train as pilots, for instance. Read their first hand stories in Women pilots of World War II. In addition, World War II and Mexican American Civil Rights illuminates the ways Mexican Americans showed up to help the war effort and simultaneously push for their rights.
Besides uniquely Texan stories, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) holds government documents and stories from the rest of the country and overseas battlefields during that time. For example, you can watch the documentary France ’44: The Encirclement at Nancy which discusses the XII Corps’ retaking of the French city of Nancy, as well as commentary describing current military tactics. Or, read Hospital at War: the 95th Evacuation Hospital in World War II to learn more about the challenges of evacuation hospitals, where soldiers were taken who were injured on the front before they could make the journey to a safe city for treatment. Many more titles about World War II are available at TSLAC, with a curated selection currently on display in the Reference Reading Room.
For more information about access to the titles on display, please contact TSLAC reference services at ref@tsl.texas.gov or call 512-436-5455.
Preparing for disasters and potential harm to library and archival collections is an important aspect of collections management. While archivists and others maintain disaster plans and may occasionally need to respond to isolated leaks, minor flooding, and various pest infestations, there are times when major events occur and remind us of the tremendous power of nature and the vulnerability of our cultural collections. In recent years in Texas, Hurricane Harvey raised awareness about the urgency of disaster planning and response. Lately, the Central Texas flooding on July 4 once again brought to light the great power of water.
While life and safety are paramount, there may also be a need to recover books, paper, media, and other materials from damage. The Texas Historical Records Advisory Board (THRAB) provides resources online to assist with the planning and response process. We are including here in this post recordings of two webinar series on this topic with handouts available for download where available.
Emergency Preparedness and Planning Series 2019 Rebecca Elder, Elder Preservation, THRAB 2019
Part 1: Emergency Preparedness: Hurricanes, Tornadoes and Fires, Oh My! Creating Your Emergency Preparedness Plan [Recording] Part 2: Emergency Response: Hurricanes, Tornadoes and Fires, Oh My! Responding to Your Emergency [Recording]
Featuring recent selections from our “Throwback Thursday” and other posts on TSLAC’s social media platforms. No subscription required.
January 2025
“Hill City Quartette — H.H. Long, C.E. Hillyer, R.H. Edmonson, and William Sidney Porter, Austin, Tex, 1886.” Richard Niles Graham collection, 1964/306-2927.
According to Frank X. Tolbert, Texas chili aficionado and author of the book A Bowl of Red, the first mention of the Texas “chili queens” in fiction was in a story by William Sydney Porter. Porter, known by the pseudonym O. Henry, described San Antonio plaza scenes and the aromatic dishes in his 1904 story, “The Enchanted Kiss.” Porter lived for years in Austin and is pictured here (front left) with fellow members of the Hill City Quartet.
February 2025
Bee Carter, Private First Class, United States Army, 1940s. June Steusoff McGuire Collection, 1981.032. Sam Houston Center.
Bee Carter was born on May 1, 1914, in Liberty, Texas. He worked for the Steusoff Pharmacy, primarily as a delivery boy, until he was drafted during World War II. Carter enlisted on July 6, 1942, and was discharged from the United States Army on October 23, 1946. Carter died in 1985 and was buried in the Houston National Cemetery.
March 2025
Trivium Club Members, 1914. Miriam Partlow II Collection, 1981.010. Sam Houston Center.
Founded in 1902, the Trivium Club was the first federated women’s club in Liberty, Texas. Although founded as a literary club, members also focused their attention on civic affairs. Early projects included the creation of a park in downtown Liberty and the addition of shell roads in the city’s cemetery.
April 2025
Student’s tent colony at Texas State Agricultural College, about 1907. William Deming Hornaday photograph collection, 1975/070-143.
On April 17, 1871, the Texas Legislature established the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, later known as Texas A&M University. According to our friends at the A&M archives, the “tent colony” pictured here provided living quarters for students as their population began to outnumber dormitory space in the early years of the twentieth century. The area was named “Camp Milner” during the administration of President Milner, who served from 1908-1913. New dorm facilities meant the closing of the colony in 1912. Texas A&M was the first public institution of higher education in the state. View more early images from the school in our TDA here: https://tsl.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/SO_a1be5898-68d1-4a15-8768-3c3928bba4c9/
May 2025
Calle del Cinco de Mayo, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, undated. William Deming Hornaday photograph collection, 1975/070-3850.
Cinco de Mayo it’s holiday time! Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican national holiday commemorating the victory of Ignacio Zaragoza’s troops over a French invading army at Puebla in 1862. The win inspired a sense of nationalism in Mexico that would lead to the annual celebration. Zaragoza was a native Texan, born in 1829 near Goliad during Mexican rule. This postcard features an undated image of a street in Ciudad Juárez named for Cinco de Mayo. View in the TDA: https://tsl.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_78e1d22a-024f-4762-8727-f88efe342069/
June 2025
Portrait, Emma (Brinson) Moody, about 1930. Mansfield African American Oral History Project, 2024099_2_02_014. Texas Historical Commission History Programs Division records.
This photo of Emma Brinson Moody from 1930 is one of several images of members of the Moody family included in an oral history project conducted in 1995. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) oversaw the project and records, including transcripts, recordings, and digitized photographs have been added to our Texas Digital Archive (TDA). One project focused on the history of African Americans in Mansfield. The Moodys were one of the oldest African American families from the Mansfield area that oral history interviewees recalled. McClendon “Mac” Moody participated in the project. The Moodys were thought to have moved to North Texas from Galveston.
As our archives staff work on an ongoing basis to arrange, preserve, describe, and make available to the public the materials under our care, we spotlight new additions to the website in a regular feature from Out of the Stacks. The column lists new and revised finding aids recently made available online, along with fresh uploads to the Texas Digital Archive, our repository of electronic items. For a comprehensive list of all recently added and updated finding aids visit Archives: Finding Aids (New & Revised).
FY2025 Q1
New Finding Aids
State Records
Texas Health Disparities Task Force meeting files The Texas Health Care Disparities Task Force was established with the goal of identifying and eliminating inequalities in the delivery of health care to residents of Texas. It was administratively attached to the Texas Department of Health (TDH). Its purpose was to assist TDH in eliminating health care disparities among multicultural, disadvantaged, and regional populations. The task force had a close relationship with the Office of Minority Health Statistics and Engagement. These Texas Health Care Disparities Task Force meeting files consist of minutes, agendas, and supporting meeting documentation, dating 2002-2004.
Texas Health Care Information Council records The Texas Health Care Information Council (THCIC) was established in 1995 (74th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, House Bill 1048) to develop a statewide health care data collection system to supply health care providers and the public with information on the cost and quality of health care programs. These records are minutes, agendas, and supporting documentation of meetings of the council held between 1996 and 2004, and the agency’s Sunset Commission review report and remarks from 1998; the bulk of the records date 1996-1997.
2017_09 September – ALL IG ORG CHART. Texas Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General organization charts.
Texas Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General organization charts – all records are electronic and are part of the Texas Digital Archive The Texas State Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General prevents, detects, audits, inspects, reviews, and investigates fraud, waste, and abuse in the provision and delivery of all health and human services in the state. Records consists of organizational charts showing the structure of the Office of the Inspector General, dated 2006-2022.
Texas Statewide Health Coordinating Council meeting records The Texas Statewide Health Coordinating Council (SHCC) ensures health care services and facilities are available to all Texans through health planning activities. Based on these planning activities, the SHCC makes recommendations to the governor and the legislature through the Texas State Health Plan (TSHP). These Texas Statewide Health Coordinating Council meeting records, dating 1977-1996, consist of minutes, agendas, and supporting documents (including committee minutes, correspondence, council resolutions, and reports).
Texas Department of State Health Services Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker Training and Certification Advisory Committee minutes and agendas The Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker Training and Certification Advisory Committee, part of the Texas Department of State Health Services, advises the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission on issues related to the training and regulation of persons working as promotores(as) or community health workers. A promotora is a lay Hispanic/Latino community member who receives specialized training to provide basic health education in the community without being a professional health care worker. These Texas Department of State Health Services Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker Training and Certification Advisory Committee minutes and agenda, 2002-2013, document the work accomplished by the committee at its meetings.
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services Council meeting records The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) was created to administer long-term services and supports for aging people as well as for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. DADS also licensed and regulated providers of these services and administered the state’s Guardianship Program. The agency was under the leadership of a commissioner who was appointed by the executive commissioner for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) with the approval of the governor. The DADS commissioner led a council, consisting of seven members (later increased to nine) that oversaw and advised on the operations of the agency. These Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services Council meeting records, 2005-2016, contain minutes, agendas, and supporting documents of meetings of the DADS Council.
Texas Secretary of State labor records The Texas Secretary of State Statutory Documents Section and its predecessor, the Texas Secretary of State Administrative Division, were responsible for receiving labor union annual reports and issuing labor organizer cards beginning in 1943. These Texas Secretary of State labor records, dating 1943-1979, consist of labor exemption orders (1943-1971) and labor organizer card applications as filed with the office of the Secretary of State between 1943 and 1979, along with related materials such as labor organizer card revocation files and correspondence. The records also include annual reports of Texas-based labor unions (1949, 1951, 1975-1978).
Manuscripts
Friends of the Governor’s Mansion records – includes digitized records that are part of the Texas Digital Archive In 1979, Texas Governor William P. Clements Jr. and First Lady Mrs. Rita Clements established Friends of the Governor’s Mansion, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to maintaining and preserving the historical and cultural significance of the Texas Governor’s Mansion, preserving the historical collections, beautifying the gardens, and educating the public about the home and its history. The Governor’s Mansion’s docents educate the public about the mansion and serve as trained guides for mansion tours and hostesses during special events held there. These Friends of the Governor’s Mansion records are tour schedules, function sheets, docent manuals, historians’ notebooks, correspondence, notes, oral histories, agendas, newsletters, electronic newsletters, invitations, financial reports, meeting minutes, renovation documents, historical information about the mansion, furniture and furnishing inventories, loan documentation, photographs, film reels and a VHS videotape about the history of the mansion, and ephemera related to the Docent’s Committee. Materials date 1937, 1964-2023, and undated, bulk 1979-1995. A portion of these materials have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive.
Sharpstown stock-fraud litigation case file Joe Shannon Jr. was one of the attorneys who represented Texas State Representative Thomas Clifton “Tommy” Shannon during the legal proceedings of Mutscher v. State , also known as the Sharpstown stock-fraud case. This scandal centered on Texas Speaker of the House Gus Mutscher Jr., Representative Tommy Shannon, and Rush McGinty, who were found guilty of conspiracy for taking bribes from businessman Frank Sharp. Although the convictions were confined to these three individuals, the scandal affected many other officials, resulting in resignations and electoral losses. The aftermath prompted legislative reforms requiring income disclosure from public officials. These papers assembled by Shannon, spanning 1970 to 1974, are a case file encompassing subpoena records, trial testimony, trial notes, opening witness documents, closing jury arguments, appellate research, and appellate briefs submitted to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals pursuant to the trial in Abilene, Texas. The papers also include the opinion issued by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals at the conclusion of the appeal.
Scrapbook, 1938-1941. W. Lee O’Daniel collection, 2017/096-3.View in TDA
W. Lee O’Daniel collection – a portion of the materials have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive W. Lee O’Daniel served as Texas governor from 1938 to 1941 and as United States senator from 1941 to 1948. His work in radio advertising and country music programming made him a popular figure in Texas. This collection, dating 1937-1948 and undated, consists of photographs, artwork, maps, scrapbooks, and a lacquer disc recording of his “Hillbilly Boys” radio show. These document O’Daniel’s family; political campaigns; his farm near Burleson, Texas; and news of the day. A portion of these materials have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive.
An Act Creating the County of Dallas. 1st Legislature, Regular Session (1846), Texas Secretary of State legislative bills and resolutions filed (General and Special Laws). View in TDA.
Group portrait of two African American women and one African American man standing by side of building, Batson, Texas, about 1905-1920. Clyde and Thelma See glass plate negatives collection, 1995.112-26a. Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center (SHC). View in TDA.
Finding historical African American cemeteries is a challenge for those seeking to know their history. Often, these cemeteries were unmarked, forced to be separate from the named burial sites, destroyed or displaced due to city development, or forgotten when the communities moved away. However, they may be mentioned in government records, local historical organizations, historical newspapers, and many other places. While we do not know of any comprehensive sources for finding an individual’s burial location or final resting place, the following resources may be helpful in tracking down relevant resources and conducting your search.
Cemetery presumed to be in Liberty area and connected to African American burials from collection context. One photo included with others attached to: Essay,” The Negro of the South, “Molly Smith, May 1932, 1977.047-1. Lois M. Short collection, SHC.
Cemetery presumed to be in Liberty area and connected to African American burials from collection context. One photo included with others attached to: Essay,” The Negro of the South, “Molly Smith, May 1932, 1977.047-1. Lois M. Short collection, SHC.
Searching our Catalog One resource that the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) holds that many people may not know about are the archaeological reports done before some construction projects. Before construction is begun, the site is evaluated for historical significance. If it is determined to be historically significant, an archaeological investigation is done to see what the construction would be displacing. Through these investigations, burial sites that were once lost can sometimes be rediscovered. Search for archaeological reports in the TSLAC catalog, including keywords to target your area of interest, to see if any discoveries have been made.
Searching Local Resources We also suggest that you contact libraries in your area of interest about their local history and newspaper collections. You may search for Texas libraries on our Find a Library page.
Searching for the Funeral Home Private funeral home and crematory records are not maintained by TSLAC. If you know the name of the funeral home or crematory that performed the burial, you may wish to contact that entity about available records.
If you do not know the name of the funeral home or crematory that performed the service, you may try using some of the tips from our Business and Company History Research Guide to try locating the entities that served your communities of interest.
Searching for a Death Certificate You may want to search for the individual’s death certificate, which may have burial information. Although we do not have the certificates themselves, we do have some Texas vital statistics indexes available for on-site research at our library in Austin, Texas.
FamilySearch.org has some Texas vital statistics collections available to search online:
Searching Newspapers Newspapers from the date(s) and area(s) of interest may have published an obituary, which can provide funeral home or cemetery information. Visit our website for information about newspaper resources, including online newspaper databases.
Historic Texas Cemetery Designation If you locate a lost or threatened cemetery, you may be able to get it registered as a Historic Texas Cemetery (HTC). You can read more about this designation on the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) website. THC has several grants that support care of these historical cemeteries. Care for these historic cemeteries is vital in preserving history and comes from grassroots volunteers like you. If you know of a historical burial site that needs care, reach out to THC for their support in maintaining this Texas landmark.
For more information about the collections at the Texas State Library and Archives, contact our reference staff at 512-463-5455 or ref@tsl.texas.gov.
Featured Books display on Texas Waters in the Reference Reading Room.
Texas has many diverse ecosystems, each fed by their own unique waterways. There are the limestone karst systems that supply the state capital and Hill Country with water, the East Texas lakes famous for sport fishing, and the rivers that crisscross the state and bring life wherever they flow. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has titles to take you on a canoe trip down a lost river, to enjoy bird’s eye views of every Texas lake, or learn about the archaeological discoveries made in a stream near you!
For more information about access to the titles on display, please contact TSLAC reference services at ref@tsl.texas.gov or call 512-463-5455. Search the online library catalog for more titles of interest.
Title
Author
Call Number
Collection
Availability online
Ogallala : water for a dry land
Opie, John
333.913 OP3o 2018
Main
Spotlight on groundwater conservation districts in Texas
Brock, Laura Lizabeth
354.36 B782s
Main
Bitter waters : the struggles of the Pecos River
Dearen, Patrick
577.6 D347b
Main
A guide to Texas lakes
Bailes, Carlton
797 B15
Main
Fishing holes of Texas : a guide to the major fishing lakes of Texas, some yet unfilled
Wilke, L. A.
799.1109764 W651
Main
Lake atlas, Texas 1st annual ed.
Marlake, Inc.
912.179911 M343L 1984 OVER-T
Main
Camper’s guide to Texas parks, lakes, and forests : where to go and how to get there
Little, Mildred J.
917.64046 L725C
Main
Goodbye to a river : a narrative
Graves, John
917.641 G785
Main
The Spanish acequias of San Antonio
Cox, I. Waynne
976.4351 C839s
Main
Crossing Rio Pecos
Dearen, Patrick
976.49 D347C
Main
The River of Pearls : early Texas history on the Concho River
Woodrick, James Victor
976.49 W860R
Main
Archaeology along the San Antonio River : the Mission Reach Project, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Kemp, Leonard
H2000.7 P422 NO.5957 V.1
TXD
Archeological survey of phases 3 and 4 of the Medina River Greenway Train, Bexar County, Texas Public version.
Bonine, Mindy L.
H2000.7 P422 NO.6348
TXD
Angler catch, harvest, and characteristics at Neighborhood Fishin’ Program lakes
Mauk, Robert J.
P421.7 M315DN NO.288
TXD
How we protect streams, rivers, and lakes
Clayton, Brent
Z TA265.7 L47 NO.5530
TXD
Designing the Bayous
Reuss, Martin
Z TA475.7 G951 NO.4
TXD
Texas Water Safari : the world’s toughest canoe race
Spain, Bob
Z TA475.8 SP153te
TXD
Viva Texas rivers! : adventures, misadventures, and glimpses of nirvana along our storied waterways First edition.
Davis, Steven L.
Z TA475.8 V836vi
TXD
Water for Texas
Norwine, Jim
Z TA475.8 W291TE
TXD
The Western river steamboat
Kane, Adam I.
Z TA475.8 W525
TXD
Canoeing and kayaking Houston waterways
Wiest, Natalie H
Z TA475.8 W638ca
TXD
A parsimonious model for simulation of flow and transport in a karst aquifer
Barrett, Michael E.
Z UA260.7 T226 NO.269
TXD
The Onion Creek mosasaur
Langston, Wann
Z UA355.7 M972 NO.10
TXD
More city than water : a Houston flood atlas
Johnson, Lacy M
Z UA380.8 M813
TXD
Hydrogeology, Land-Surface Subsidence, and Documentation of the Gulf Coast Land Subsidence and Groundwater-Flow (GULF) Model, Southeast Texas, 1897-2018 Revised : Version 1.1
On June 6, 1944, the Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, in a massive invasion called D-Day, setting the scene for the end of World War II. The global conflict touched the lives of Texans at home and abroad. At the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), a wide variety of resources are available for visitors to explore the personal stories of Texans who lived through World War II. TSLAC collections include war memoirs, filmed interviews, books about Texas women in wartime, Allied training on Texas soil, and more. Personal connections may be closer than you think!
Texas and Texans in World War II 1941-1945 by Christopher B. Bean. Texas A&M Press, 2022. TSLAC Texas Documents Collection, Z TA475.8 T312te.
If you’ve just developed an interest in the stories of Texans during WWII, TSLAC has several options for you to explore before diving deeper. Texas and Texans in World War II 1941-1945, edited by Christopher B. Bean, handily covers what its title suggests and could be a good place to start. Published by Texas A&M University Press in 2022, this book provides a broad array of subjects for further consideration. Each chapter is written by a different scholar and offers a different lens on the Texan World War II experience, such as women serving in the military, civilian women, the Black community, Tejanos, prisoners of war, and more. The book also covers the war’s impact on a variety of Texan industries such as oil and agriculture and their workers, including the Texas organized labor movement during the conflict. Readers may then search TSLAC collections for works on one or more of these topics and find titles like Cindy Weigand’s Texas Women in World War II (Republic of Texas Press, 2003).
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Those looking for stories of Texans serving in military and combat roles on the European front will also find plenty to satisfy their curiosity at TSLAC, including interviews filmed with veterans, publicly available through our Texas Digital Archive.
In Recollections of Texas T-Patchers (WWII 36th Infantry Division), each film lasting 45-60 minutes, Texas T-Patchers Virgil Duffy, Roy Goad, and Bennet Palmer describe their early lives, how they found their way into military service, and their firsthand experiences of the European front. The 36th Infantry Division was a unit first formed during World War I and was called to active duty again in November 1940 at Camp Bowie, Texas. After sailing to North Africa in 1943, the T-Patchers were called to fight through Italy to Rome, and then, in 1944, to land on the beaches of France. Duffy, Goad, and Palmer’s eyewitness accounts of the European front of WWII represent an increasingly scarce resource, especially for those looking for firsthand Texan stories of that moment and place in history.
TSLAC is also home to published accounts of Texans who served in the War in the Pacific. One such narrative is From Texas to Tinian and Tokyo Bay: The Memoirs of Captain J. R. Ritter, Seabee Commander during the Pacific War, 1942-1945 (University of North Texas Press, 2019), compiled from the writings of a U.S. Navy “Seabee,” by his grandson Jonathan Templin Ritter.
From Texas to Tinian and Tokyo Bay: The Memoirs of J.R. Ritter, Seabea Commander during the Pacific War, 1942-1945 by Jonathan Templin Ritter. UNT Press, 2019. TSLAC Texas Documents Collection, Z N745.8 R514TE.
The Seabees were a unit nicknamed for the first letters of its official name, the Construction Brigade. The unit’s main focus was construction, but its men were still trained to carry and use weapons as necessary—a unique breed whose unofficial motto was: “The difficult, we do now, the impossible takes a little longer.” In From Texas to Tinian and Tokyo Bay, Captain Ritter describes his life as a Seabee commander through surviving Japanese air raids, clean-up after fierce island battles, and organizing troop entertainment through the USO.
ON THE HOMEFRONT
Not to be outdone in international relations by those serving overseas, Texans were also “doing their bit” for the war at home by, among other efforts, helping the British Royal Air Force to train its pilots. Tom Killebrew’s The Royal Air Force in Texas: Training British Pilots in Terrell during World War II (University of North Texas Press, 2009) shines a light on this special moment in Allied cooperation.
The Royal Air Force in Texas by Tom Killebrew. UNT Press, 2009. TSLAC Texas Documents Collection, Z N745.8 K554ro.
Plans for the British Flying Training Schools (BFTS) in America began to coalesce in 1940, even before the US officially entered the conflict. The United States had several things Britain desperately needed to train more Royal Air Force Pilots: the physical space needed for training necessities like airfields, hangars, and runways; the relative safety of uncontested airspace; and, the ability to train pilots in night-flying over a country whose lights did not all need to be out to ensure safety from the Luftwaffe, which was the case in Britain. Terrell, Texas, with its wide-open spaces and clear, sunny skies, was the perfect place for a BFTS to open in 1941. Details covered in this publication include descriptions of training aircraft and flight maneuvers as well as entertaining servicemember accounts of contrasts and similarities between British and American military training, organization, and culture.
Anyone curious about the role of Texans in World War II may find something of interest at TSLAC. In addition to the publications and online interviews mentioned here, there are also photographs and documents in the State Archives. Our reference team is available by phone, email, and in person to assist with your questions about resources on this topic.
For questions about TSLAC collections, please contact reference staff at 512-463-5455 or ref@tsl.texas.gov.
The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center (SHC), part of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), will host its annual Family History Day for new and advanced genealogists on Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Presenters will explore the use of maps and land records for genealogical research.
Professional genealogist Teri E. Flack will teach attendees how to use maps to explore their ancestor’s lives and how to use property records to trace their family tree. TSLAC staff will share key map and land records available online and through TSLAC’s Austin and Liberty locations. Following the seminar, attendees will be given the opportunity to consult with TSLAC reference staff and conduct research within the Center’s collections.
This event is free and open to the public. To reserve your seat, please email samhoustoncenter@tsl.texas.gov or call (936) 336-8821. Seating is limited.
Schedule of Events: 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Using Maps to Explore Ancestor’s Lives Teri E. Flack, Texas Institute for Genealogical Research Faculty and Texas State Genealogical Society Fellow
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Introduction to TSLAC Map and Land Records Traci Reece, TSLAC-Austin Reference Staff James Anderson, TSLAC-Liberty Reference Staff
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Connecting Generations Through Property and Probate Teri E. Flack, Texas Institute for Genealogical Research Faculty and Texas State Genealogical Society Fellow
The Sam Houston Center is a component of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and serves as the official regional historical resource depository for the 10 Southeast Texas counties of Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto and Tyler. The Center’s primary mission is to collect, preserve and provide access to historically significant state and local government records and publications of the designated region and secondarily to serve as a library of Texana and genealogical resources.
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The Texas State Library and Archives Commission provides Texans access to the information needed to be informed, productive citizens by preserving the archival record of Texas; enhancing the service capacity of public, academic and school libraries; assisting public agencies in the maintenance of their records; and meeting the reading needs of Texans with disabilities. For more information, visit www.tsl.texas.gov.
It is MayDay for archivists! The first of May marks a day for acknowledging threats to archival collections and as a reminder to have a plan in place for disasters. The Texas Historical Records Advisory Board (THRAB) maintains a suite of videos and handouts online through the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). If you need a refresher or to get started learning about how to prepare for and respond to threats to your collections, explore the resources below.
Disaster Planning Recordings
Creating an Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan Webinar Series 2020 Rebecca Elder, Elder Preservation, THRAB 2020
Emergency Preparedness and Planning Series 2019 Rebecca Elder, Elder Preservation, THRAB 2019
Part 1: Emergency Preparedness: Hurricanes, Tornadoes and Fires, Oh My! Creating Your Emergency Preparedness Plan [Recording] Part 2: Emergency Response: Hurricanes, Tornadoes and Fires, Oh My! Responding to Your Emergency [Recording]
Learn more about THRAB programs and initiatives at www.thrab.org.
