Albert Thomas Papers 1937-1965


Descriptive Summary
	Title:	Albert Thomas papers
	Date:	1937-1965
	Abstract:	This collection of speeches, correspondences, reports, and photographs documents the work of Albert Thomas, U.S. Representative for Harris County, Texas, from 1936-1966. Albert Thomas was the first Rice Alumnus to serve in Congress. He graduated from Rice Institute in 1920.
	ID:	MS 262
	Extent:	8 cubic feet
	Repository:	Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX

Biographical Note

Albert Thomas was the first Rice Alumnus to serve in Congress. Thomas was born in Nacogdoches, Texas, on April 12, 1898. As a child, he attended Public Schools in Nacogdoches and worked in his father's store. During World War I, Thomas served as a second lieutenant in the army. He graduated from Rice Institute in 1920 and from University of Texas law school in 1926. Thomas was married to Lera Millard in 1922. He was elected county attorney in Nacogdoches in 1927, and served there until 1930, when he moved to Houston to become assistant United States district attorney for the southern district of Texas. Thomas was elected to represent the Eighth District of Texas (Harris County) in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1936, a position he held until his death. Thomas served on numerous committees and was instrumental in locating the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. He became chairman of the House Subcommittee on Independent Office Appropriations in 1949, chairman of the Texas House delegation in 1950, and chairman of the House Democratic caucus in 1964. Thomas died while in office in 1966 after a long illness.

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Scope and Contents

The Collection consists of Thomas' Congressional correspondence. The collection covers 30 years of service by Thomas in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thomas made few speeches on the House floor and attached his name to only a few bills; however, his correspondence illustrates his continuing behind-the-scenes statesmanship. Included in the collection are sections on U.S. problems, legislation (including Albert Thomas bills), Texas problems, Harris County, Houston Port, Pasadena, school districts, universities, campaigns and elections, and speeches. The collection is composed of 21 document boxes containing typescript, typed copy, photocopy, documents, and photographs. The collection comprises a total of 8 cubic feet.

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Arrangement
	The collection is divided into fourteen series, which are listed below.

		Series I: U.S. Problems
		Series II: Legislation
		Series III: Committees
		Series IV: Texas Problems
		Series V: Harris County
		Series VI: Houston Port
		Series VII: Houston City
		Series VIII: Pasadena & Other Cities
		Series IX: School Districts
		Series X: Universities
		Series XI: Campaigns & Elections
		Series XII: Speeches
		Series XIII: People
		Series XIV: Personal

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This material is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish from the Albert Thomas Papers must be obtained from Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library. Copyright release on published materials must be obtained from the publication.

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Index Terms

	Subjects (Organizations)
		United States. Congress. House--Members' papers--Texas.
	Subjects
		Legislation--United States.
		Harbors--Texas.
		School districts--Texas.
		Universities and colleges--Texas.
		Elections--Texas.
		Texas--Politics and government.
		United States--Politics and government--20th century.
		Harris County (Tex.)
		Houston (Tex.)--Geographical features--Harbors.
		Texas--Geographical features--Harbors.
		Pasadena (Tex.)
		Texas--Education--Public schools.
		Texas--Education--Universities and colleges.
		Rice University--Alumni and alumnae.
	Formats
		Correspondence
		Speeches
		Photographs

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Box
1-3		Series I: U.S. Problems
Box	Folder
1	1		Cancer Research Bulletin, 1960
	2		Civil Aeronautics Authority, 1939-40
	3		Commerce Department - Bureau of Census, 1940
	4		Defense Housing, 1940-42
	5		Defense Housing, 1941-43
	6		Defense Housing, 1942-44
	7		Defense Projects, 1941-42
	8		Demobilization, 1946
	9		Federal Housing Administration, 1937-39
	10		Federal Housing Administration, 1939
Box	Folder
2	1		Goose Creek W.P.A., 1937-38
	2		H.E.W. Office of The Secretary, Washington D.C. Congressional Liaison, 1961-64
	3		National Housing Agency, 1942-43
	4		Navy Department, 1937-40
	5		P.W.A., 1938-40
	6		P.W.A. Proposal Projects, 1938-39
	7		Reciprocal Trade Agreement, 1937-39
	8		Report on Russia by Vice Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, USN., 1959
	9		Southern Interstate Nuclear Compact, 1961-65
	10		U.S. District Court - Southern District of Texas, 1963-64
	11		U.S. Territorial Expansion - Memorial Commission, 1949
	12		Veterans Administration Facilities (Contact Unit), 1937-38
	13		Veterans Administration Facilities (Regional Hospital), 1938
	14		War Department, 1937-39
	15		War Department, 1939-40
Box	Folder
3	1		War Department, 1941-42
	2		War Department, 1942
	3		War Department, 1942-43
	4		War Department, 1943
	5		War Production Board, 1941-43
	6		W.P.A. - Harris County, 1938-39
	7		W.P.A. - Harris County, 1940
Box	Folder
4	1		W.P.A. - Harris County, 1940-41
	2		W.P.A. - Houston Office, 1938-89
	3		W.P.A. - Low Income Housing, 1939
	4		W.P.A. - Washington, 1939

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Box
4-7		Series II: Legislation
Box
4-5			Subseries A: Albert Thomas Bills
Box	Folder
4	5			Bills 78th Congress, 1943-44
	6			Bills 79th Congress, 1945-46
	7			Bills 80th Congress, 1947-48
	8			Bills 81st Congress, 1949-50
	9			Bills 82nd Congress, 1951-52
	10			H.R. 5935 - Reginald Wynne Davis, 1951-52
	11			H.R. 6423 - Russell William Karback, 1952-53
	12			H.R. 7387 - Re: Child Care, 1952
	13			H.R. 7570 - Kimie Ishimura, 1952-53
	14			Bills 83rd Congress, 1953-54
	15			H.R. 1703 - Janie Ng Chen, 1952-53
	16			H.R. 2437 - Jean May Hopkins, 1953
	17			H.R. 2675 - Mr. & Mrs. Alkos G Giagtzis, 1953-54
	18			H.R. 3465 - John Base, 1953-54
	19			H.R. 3681 - Nathan L. Laufman, 1953
	20			H.R. 3834 - Jerry F. Markantonis, 1953-54
	21			H.R. 4021 - Reginald Wynne Davis, 1953
	22			H.R. 4022 - Lorenzo D. Meadows, 1953
	23			H.R. 4387 - Dr. Roger Post Adams, 1953
	24			H.R. 5467 - Francis A. Reilly, 1953
	25			Miscellaneous Bills, 1952-54
Box	Folder
5	1			Bills 84th Congress, 1955-56
	2			Bills 85th Congress, 1957-58
	3			H.R. 5678, 1958
	4			Bills 86th Congress, 1959-60
	5			H.R. 6679, 1959-60
	6			H.R. 10399, 1960
	7			Bills 87th Congress, 1961-62
	8			Bills 88th Congress, 1963-64
	9			Bills 89th Congress, 1965-66
Box	Folder
6	1-6		Subseries B: Other Bills
	1			Miscellaneous Bills, 1957-59
	2			National Labor Relations Act, 1940
	3			Truth in Fabric Bill, 1939-40
	4			U.S. Housing Act, 1937-40
	5			Wage & Hour Law, 1937-40
	6			Wage & Hour Law, 1939-40
Box
6-7			Subseries C: Congressional & Presidential
Box	Folder
6	7			Annual Report to the President, 1964
	8			Congressional District Atlas of U.S., 1960
	9			Congressional District Data Book, 1961
	10			Docket, 1932-40
Box	Folder
7	1			Presidential Messages, 1937-39

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Box	Folder
7	2-8	Series III: Committees
	2		Committee on Appropriations - Independent Offices, 1960-61
	3		Committee on Ways & Means, 1936-39
	4		Independent Offices Subcommittee, 1961
	5		Independent Offices Committee, 1962
	6		Kennedy - Johnson Natural Resource Advisory Committee, 1960-61
	7		Labor Subcommittee, 1937
	8		Pensions Committee, 1937-39

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Box
7-8		Series IV: Texas Problems
Box	Folder
7	9		Naval Base, 1939-42
	10		Rayburn (Sam) Library Foundation, 1950-62
Box	Folder
8	1		San Jacinto Parks Commission, 1960-62
	2		Texas, State of - Attorney General, 1949-50
	3		Texas, State of - Governor of Texas, 1940-6
	4		Texas, State of - House of Representatives, 1962-66
	5		Texas Air National Guard, 1957-60
	6		Trinity River - Correspondence, 1962-65
	7		Trinity River - Livingston Reclamation Project, 1961-66
	8		Trinity River - Wallisville Reservoir, 1960-63
	9		Trinity River - Wallisville Reservoir, 1954-61
	10		Trinity River - Wallisville Reservoir, 1965-66

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Box
8-10		Series V: Harris County, TX
Box	Folder
8	11		Brays Bayou, 1938
	12		Clear Creek Channel, 1938
	13		Ellington Field, 1940
Box	Folder
9	1		Flood Control - Harris County, 1937-38
	2		Flood Control - Harris County, 1937-39
	3		Flood Control - Harris County, 1937-39
	4		Flood Control Letters, 1938
	5		Fort Sam Houston, 1940-42
	6		Harris County Flood & Drainage Project, 1937-41
	7		Harris County Flood Control Newspaper Clippings, 1939-65
	8		Harris County Flood Control District, 1940-62
Box	Folder
10	1		Harris County Sports Stadium - Newspaper Clippings, 1961-63
	2		Harris County Sports Stadium - Fallout Shelter Project, 1961
	3		Harris County Sports Stadium - Fallout Shelter Project, 1964
	4		Industrial Waste Disposal Corporation, 1959
	5		Industrial Waste Disposal Corporation, 1959
	6		Industrial Waste Disposal Corporation, 1960
	7		Juvenile Delinquency & Youth Offenses, 1962
	8		Wooster Water & Sanitary Improvement Committee, 1941

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Box
11-12		Series VI: Houston Port
Box	Folder
11	1		Houston, City of - Port of Houston - Food & Drug Laboratory, 1961-62
	2		Houston, Port of, 1937-42
	3		Houston, Port of, 1942-47
	4		Houston, Port of, 1947-51
	5		Houston, Port of, 1951-53
	6		Houston, Port of, 1954-63
	7		Houston, Port of, 1959-63
Box	Folder
12	1		Houston Port & Traffic Bureau, 1939-48
	2		Houston Port & Traffic Bureau, 1949-51
	3		Houston Port & Traffic Bureau, 1952-53
	4		Houston Port Commission, 1963-66
	5		Houston Ship Channel - Army Engineers' Report, 1937-41
	6		Houston Ship Channel - Barbour's Cut, 1962
	7		Houston Ship Channel - Resurvey, 1950-55
	8		Houston Ship Channel - Resurvey, 1955-58
	9		Houston Ship Channel - San Jacinto River, 1956-60

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Box
13-16		Series VII: Houston City
Box	Folder
13	1		Three Photographs of Houston Areas, n.d.
	2		Airplane Plant, 1940
	3		Citizen's National Bank & Trust Co., Baytown, 1939-64
	4		Depelchin Faith Home Orphanage, 1937-39
	5		Hedgecroft Hospital & Clinic, 1946-58
	6		Hermann Hospital, 1949-59
	7		Hermann Hospital Estate, 1955-1957
	8		Houston, City of, 1939-46
	9		Houston, City of - Civil Defense, 1951-65
	10		Houston, City of - Department of Aviation, 1961-62
	11		Houston, City of - Houston Housing Authority, 1939-58
	12		Houston, City of - Houston Intercontinental Airport, 1963-66
	13		Houston, City of - Houston International Airport, 1960-66
Box	Folder
14	1		Houston, City of - Recreation Department, 1938-43
	2		Houston, City of - Urban Renewal, 1959-66
	3		Greater Houston Action for Youth, 1961-62
	4		Greater Houston Action for Youth, 1962-63
	5		Greater Houston Action for Youth, 1964-66
	6		Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1937-39
	7		Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1939-40
	8		Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1940
	9		Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1941-43
Box	Folder
15	1		Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1943-46
	2		Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1962-64
	3		Houston Chronicle, 1937-46
	4		Houston Customs Appraisers Warehouse Building, 1937-41
	5		Houston Federal Office Building & Courthouse, 1960-64
	6		Houston Federal Office Building - Replies to Invitations, 1962
	7		Houston Housing Authority, 1937-38
	8		Houston Housing Authority, 1938-39
	9		Houston Housing Authority, 1939
	10		Houston National Guard Coast Artillery Regiment, 1937
	11		Houston Negro Hospital, 1942-59
Box	Folder
16	1		Houston - New Orleans Lighted Airways, 1936-38
	2		Houston Press, 1937-46
	3		Houston Public Library, 1938
	4		Houston Pure Food & Drug Laboratory, 1936-37,1961
	5		Houston - Water Division, 1940-64
	6		Houston Youth Center, 1961-63
	7		Jefferson Davis High School, 1959-60
	8		Jefferson Davis Hospital, 1939-54
	9		Park Place Library -- P.W.A., 1938-40

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Box
16-17		Series VIII: Pasadena and Other Cities
Box	Folder
16	10		Bellaire Sewer Project, 1938-39
	11		City of West University Place Water Works Project, 1939
	12		City of West University Place W.P.A., 1940
	13		Goose Creek Street Project, 1939-40
	14		Humble Cantonment, 1941
	15		Two Maps of Pasadena, n.d.
	16		Pasadena, City of, 1956-65
	17		Pasadena Armory, 1956-60
	18		Pasadena Street Improvement Project, 1939-40
Box	Folder
17	1		Pelly City of, (R.F.C.), 1939
	2		Shoreacres, Village of, 1957-63
	3		Tomball, City of, 1941-60
	4		Tomball Hospital, 1946-49
	5		Wilshire Village, 1939-40

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Box	Folder
17	6-17	Series IX: School Districts
	6		Aldine Independent School District, 1938-45
	7		Almeda School District, 1937
	8		Cedar Bayou Independent School District, 1938-46
	9		Channelview Common School District #18, 1938
	10		Channelview Independent School District, 1946-54
	11		Galena Park Public Schools, 1941-45
	12		Goose Creek Independent School District, 1936-39
	13		Goose Creek Independent School District, 1951-52
	14		Houston Independent School District, 1938-42
	15		North East Houston Independent School District, 1938-66
	16		Pasadena Independent School District, 1937-46
	17		Spring Branch Independent School District, 1938-56

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Box
17-18		Series X: Universities
Box	Folder
17	18		Rice Institute, 1937-46
	19		Rice Institute Re: Atomic Energy, 1956-58
Box	Folder
18	1		University of Houston, 1937-40
	2		Stephen F. Austin State College, 1963-66

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Box
18-19		Series XI: Campaigns and Elections
			Subseries A: Campaigns
Box	Folder
18	3			Campaign - Labor Endorsements, 1940
	4			Files on Campaigns, 1930-46
	5			Files on Campaigns, 1940
	6			Files on Campaigns, 1937-61
Box	Folder
19	1			Files on Campaigns, 1940
	2			Files on Campaigns, 1961-66
	3			Kennedy - Johnson Campaign, 1960
			Subseries B: Elections
	4			Committee on Elections #3, 1940
	5			Committee on Elections #3, 1940
	6			Election Results, 1936
	7			Election Results, 1938
	8			Election Results, 1940
	9			Election Results, 1942
	10			Election Results, 1944
	11			Election Results, 1946
	12			Election Results, 1948
	13			Election Results, 1950
	14			Election Results, 1952
	15			Election Results, 1954
	16			Election Results, 1956
	17			Election Results, 1958
	18			Election Results, 1960
	19			Election Results, 1962
	20			Election Results, 1964

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Box
20		Series XII: Speeches
	1		Thomas Speeches, 1938-41
	2		Thomas Speeches, 1940-63
	3		Thomas Speeches, 1942-43
	4		Thomas Speeches, 1943-46
	5		Thomas Speeches - Congressional Record, 1942-44
	6		Thomas Speeches - Congressional Record, 1947
	7		Thomas Speeches - Radio, 1942-43,1948

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Box	Folder
21	1-13	Series XIII: People
	1		Baruch, Bernard, 1949-50
	2		Biggers, E.M., 1935-40
	3		Cannon, Clarence, 1942-62
	4		Gonzales Menchaca, - Edilberto, 1952-53
	5		Hubert Humphrey Letters & Autographed Speech, 1965-66
	6		Jaworski, Leon, 1949-63
	7		Johnson, Lyndon B., 1957-66
	8		Lintelman, Fred H., 1943-47
	9		Rayburn, Sam (Hon.), 1936-65
	10		Sheppard, Morris (Hon.), 1937-41
	11		Steelman, John R., 1947-50
	12		Truman, Harry S., 1956-64
	13		Visitors to Washington, 1954-58

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Box	Folder
21	14-19	Series XIV: Personal
	14		About Albert Thomas (includes some photos), 1963
	15		Congressional Record - Eulogies to Albert Thomas, 1966
	16		Form Letters, 1942-45
	17		Correspondence with Constituents
	18		Albert Thomas Scholarships, 1962
	19		Six NASA Photos, 1966

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