History of the
Texas Federation of Republican Women
Seventeen years after the formation of the National Federation of Republican Women in 1938, the Texas Federation of Republican Women's Clubs was organized. Individual Republican women's clubs had been in existence in Texas prior to the organization of the National Federation, but it was not until 1955 that clubs existed in 75% of the state's congressional districts, which is the requirement for federating a state organization.
In October of 1955, more than 300 delegates met in the White Plaza Hotel in San Antonio for the Texas organizational convention. Mrs. Malcolm Milburn of Austin presided over the convention, and Mrs. R. D. O'Callaghan of San Antonio was elected president of the new Federation. The Executive Committee donated funds for stationery and the first letter was mailed to members of local clubs.
Highlights of the new Federation included:
- Changing the name to Texas Federation of Republican Women;
- Establishment of the Pink Elephant project to finance the operation of the Federation, and to contribute funds to the Republican Party;
- Publication of the Federation newsletter under the direction of TFRW; and
- Opening the Federation's office in Austin.
Subsequent biennial conventions were held in:
Dallas (1957), Corpus Christi (1959), Fort Worth (1961), Houston (1963), San Antonio (1965), Dallas (1967), Austin (1969), San Antonio (1971), Houston (1973), El Paso (1975), Brownsville (1977), Austin (1979), Waco (1981), Fort Worth (1983), Midland (1985), Houston (1987), McAllen (1989), El Paso (1991), Corpus Christi (1993), Amarillo (1995), Lubbock (1997), Houston (1999), Waco (2001), Dallas (2003), Corpus Christi (2005), El Paso (2007) and the 2009 Convention will be held in Galveston.
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