Women in Texas History (Women in Texas History Series sponsored by the Ruthe Winegarten Memorial Foundation)

About this book

Winner 2019 Liz Carpenter Award sponsored by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) In recent decades a small but growing number of historians have dedicated their tireless attention to analyzing the role of women in Texas history. Each contributionand there have been manyrepresents a brick in the wall of new Texas history. From early Native societies to astronauts Women in Texas History assembles those bricks into a carefully crafted structure as the first book to cover the full scope of Texas womens history. By emphasizing the differences between race and ethnicity Angela Boswell uses three broad themes to tie together the narrative of women in Texas history. First the physical and geographic challenges of Texas as a place significantly affected womens lives from the struggles of isolated frontier farming to the opportunities and problems of increased urbanization. Second the changing landscape of legal and political power continued to shape womens lives and opportunities from the ballot box to the courthouse and beyond. Finally Boswell demonstrates the powerful influence of social and cultural forces on the identity agency and everyday life of women in Texas. In challenging male-dominated legal and political systems Texan women shaped (and were shaped by) class religion community organizations literary and artistic endeavors and more. Women in Texas History is the first book to narrate the entire span of Texas womens history and marks a major achievement in telling the full story of the Lone Star State. Historians and general readers alike will find this book an informative and enjoyable read for anyone interested in the history of Texas or the history of women.