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Texas America250: Higher Office
Tall Texan Lyndon B. Johnson brought his Lone Star attitude to Washington, DC, serving in the US Congress before becoming Vice President under John F. Kennedy. Johnson assumed the presidency after Kennedy’s death in 1963 and won the office in the next election. Johnson was one of several US presidents to call Texas home. Other major figures with local roots have gained a national profile and left a lasting impression on politics.
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park Dedication, August 29, 1970. Current Events Photographic Documentation Program collection, 1971/18-20. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th President of the United States and a native of the Texas Hill Country. He was born on the LBJ Ranch, where he retired after his time in the White House. In 1965, a plot of land directly across the Pedernales River from the LBJ Ranch was donated to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the park officially opened in 1970. Today, the LBJ State Park spans 700 acres.
LBJ and Ladybird Johnson, LBJ Library ,undated. Prints and Photographs collection,1972/04-1.
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This portrait features Lyndon B. Johnson and Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson with the LBJ Presidential Library standing proudly in the background. Both were native Texans, and they were married for 39 years. Throughout their marriage, they experienced elections, tragedies, legislative battles, and triumphs, all while maintaining a deep love of and connection to their home state. The LBJ Presidential Library in Austin houses the papers of both LBJ and Lady Bird, which document their significant influence on both state and national life.
Medallion commemorating the Chamizal Treaty, 1964. Artifacts collection, ATF0434.
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This medal is one of a limited number of Chamizal Commemorative Medals struck by the United States Mint. The Chamizal dispute was a boundary conflict between the United States and Mexico over approximately 600 acres in El Paso, Texas. The dispute was formally resolved on January 14, 1963, bringing a peaceful conclusion to the issue. In 1964, Presidents Adolfo López Mateos of Mexico and Lyndon B. Johnson met at the US-Mexico border, marking the triumph of cooperation and understanding as they officially concluded the disagreement.
George W. Bush Inauguration, 1999. Texas inaugural photographs, 1999/183. Texas Inaugural Committee Bush-Perry records. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
George W. Bush Inauguration invitation,1999. Texas Inaugural Committee Bush-Perry records, 1999/183. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
George W. Bush Inauguration Day Barbeque and Parade invitation, 1999. Texas Inaugural Committee Bush-Perry records, 1999/183. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
In 1994, George W. Bush was elected Governor of Texas, defeating incumbent Ann Richards; he was reelected in 1998. In 2000, he defeated Vice President Al Gore to become the 43rd President of the United States.
“A Woman’s Place is in the Dome,” button, undated. Texas Inaugural Committee Richards – Bullock records, 1991/185-5. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
“A Woman's Place is in the Dome,” photograph, undated. Virginia Whitten papers, 1998/140-2. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
Ann Richards served as Governor of Texas from 1991 through 1995 and was only the second female governor in the history of the Lone Star State. In addition to her term as governor, Richards was elected the first female Travis County Commissioner from 1977-1983, and then served as Texas State Treasurer from 1983-1991, again breaking ground as the first woman ever to hold the position.
Swearing-in ceremony for Sen. Barbara Jordan as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1972. Current Events Photographic Documentation Program collection, 1972/155-1. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
Sen. Barbara Jordan as President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate, March 29 or 30, 1972. Current Events Photographic Documentation Program collection, 1972/155-5. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
In 1967, Barbara Jordan of Houston became the first African American elected to the Texas Senate since Reconstruction. She was elected President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate on March 28, 1972, and presided over the Senate during the 2nd Called Session of the 62nd Legislature.
Governor Bill Clements with Vice President George Bush, May 15, 1981. Current Events Photographic Documentation Program collection, 1982/031-1. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
George H. W. Bush was the 41st President of the United States and also served as vice president from 1981 to 1989. George H. W. and George W. Bush became the first father and son to serve as president since John (1797-1801) and John Quincy Adams (1825-1829).