A Guide to the Sawnie R. Aldredge Scrapbooks, 1921-1923

Biographical Note

Sawnie Robertson Aldredge (1890 - 1949) was a lawyer and Democratic mayor of Dallas, Texas, from 1921 to 1923. A Dallas native, Aldredge was the son of Judge George N. Aldredge. Aldredge received an A. B. from Cornell University, attended the University of Texas School of Law, and served in the Air Service during World War I. In 1915, he married bookbinder Mary Ellen Batts (1892-1975), daughter of Judge Robert Lynn Batts. Before and after serving as mayor, Aldredge practiced law at various Texas firms, was active in Dallas civic clubs, and served on the Dallas Chamber of Commerce and the executive committee of Southern Methodist University. During his mayoral term, Aldredge fought the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Texas politics, demanding that the organization disband. In 1922, all but one of the Klan-backed candidates for Dallas County office won election. The following year, Aldredge and the rest of his ticket were defeated by a margin of almost three to one.

Source:

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Texas in the 1920s," (accessed October 22, 2010).

Scope and Contents

The Sawnie R. Aldredge Scrapbooks, 1921-1923, document Aldredge’s term as mayor of Dallas, Texas. Arranged by subject, the scrapbooks consist of newspaper clippings from 1921 to 1923 about Dallas city politics and projects. Topics covered include city departments, for example the finance, parks, and police departments; specific civic projects, such as the Dallas Railway Company, land annexations, and a music commission; and political issues, including the question of Aldredge’s candidacy for a second term and the Ku Klux Klan.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Sawnie R. Aldredge Scrapbooks, 1921-1923, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by archives staff, [ca. 1954].

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers