12 Influential Texas Women
Our great state wouldn’t be what it is today without Texan women: intelligent, resilient, innovative, unstoppable. From the frontier to the state legislature, Texas has been home to many women — trailblazers, change-makers, and visionaries — who’ve left an indelible mark on society.
This Women’s History Month, meet 12 famous Texas women who’ve redefined culture, furthered causes, and reshaped the course of Texan, and American, history.
Mary Kay Ash
Ash’s legacy lives on in the business opportunities she created for women through her beloved cosmetics company, Mary Kay Inc. Ash started the company in 1963 at age 45 after negative experiences in the male-dominated workforce. Her leap of faith — and grit — lives on through the company’s woman-to-woman business model.
Simone Biles
Before she became the most decorated gymnast in history, Biles was raised in the Houston suburb of Spring. Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist, became the first woman to win four straight U.S. all-around titles in more than 40 years. Aside from setting records and dominating the floor exercise category, Biles also has several gymnastic elements named after her.
Brené Brown
Brown became a household name when her 2011 TED Talk on vulnerability became a viral sensation, making us all think about how we approach life. By day, Brown is a University of Houston researcher who’s spent the past 20 years studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. Her gentle yet no-nonsense approach to life lessons and human connection has made her talks, podcast, and books ever popular.
Bessie Coleman
Coleman was the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license, shattering racial and gender barriers in aviation along the way. (Fun fact: She earned her license two years before Amelia Earhart!) Rejected by U.S. flight schools because of her race and gender, Coleman learned French and headed to France, where female pilots were more welcome. Coleman was known for her flying tricks, which earned her nicknames like “Brave Bessie” and “Queen Bess.”
Claudia Alta Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson
Through her advocacy work, Johnson helped shape how the nation and world view the First Lady of the United States office. This famous Texas woman worked directly with Congress to press for beautifying the nation’s cities and highways, culminating in the 1965 passage of the Highway Beautification Act. Johnson’s legacy of conservation lives on today through the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in East Austin.
Barbara Jordan
As a pioneer for women of color in politics, Jordan was accustomed to “firsts” in her career. She was the first Southern Black woman elected to Congress and the first Black woman to rule over a state legislative body as a president pro tempore. Known for her pragmatic leadership style, she entered the national spotlight during the televised 1974 Watergate scandal hearings.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
The native Houstonian, dubbed “Queen Bey,” has become a tastemaker and trailblazer since emerging onto the music scene with girl group Destiny’s Child in the late ’90s. With the most Grammy Awards of any artist ever, Beyoncé has used her influence and fame for good as a philanthropist and advocate for social change.
Irma Lerma Rangel
You might have seen Rangel’s name on buildings across the state, from Dallas to her native Kingsville. Rangel was the first Hispanic woman elected to the Texas Legislature and the first woman elected to serve as a chairwoman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. She left a legacy of promoting social justice and advocating for public policies that bettered the lives of women, children, and minorities.
Selena Quintanilla Pérez
Known as the “Queen of Tejano,” Selena introduced millions to Texas-Mexican and Latin music through her charismatic personality and lively stage presence. The Grammy winner’s impact is still felt today, nearly 30 years after her untimely death.
Ann Richards
As the first female state treasurer in over 50 years, Richards was credited with modernizing the state’s money operations. As the state’s 45th governor, she introduced the state lottery and improved the prison system, establishing a substance abuse program for prison inmates. Richards was widely known for her wit, often using Texas slang.
Kendra Scott
Since starting her company in 2002 with $500, Scott has become a staple brand name in jewelry boxes nationwide. In 2019, the widely admired entrepreneur helped found the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. Through the success of her billion-dollar brand, Scott has donated more than $50 million to local, national, and international causes.
Sheryl Swoopes
The Brownfield native was the first player to sign with the WNBA before its 1997 inaugural season and the first woman to have a signature shoe (the Nike Air Swoopes). Swoopes was an All-American at Texas Tech University before her MVP-spanning career in the WNBA, where she helped win four straight championships with the Houston Comets. Swoopes also won three gold medals in her Olympic career with USA Basketball. She remains regarded as one of the greatest players in WNBA history and a trailblazer for female athletes.
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