Descriptive Summary
Texas Women's Alliance
Texas Women's Alliance Records
1984-1995
Materials are in English.
MS 11
5.3 linear feet (about 4,000 items)
University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections
The Texas Women's Alliance (TWA) is a nonprofit women's organization that researches issues, makes policy recommendations, and works to influence government, with a focus on Texas affairs. Formed in 1984, the founders of the TWA believed there was a need for an organization to represent conservative and business-oriented women. The TWA attempts to recruit women who are professional, business and civic leaders; its activities include conducting seminars and conferences on issues, publishing position papers, and testifying before Texas Senate and House committees.
This collection spans the years 1984 through 1995 and includes meeting minutes, reports, position papers, correspondence and other papers, document the history, activities, programs and policy positions of the Texas Women's Alliance (TWA), in its first 11 years. The collection reflects TWA's position on the state budget, economic growth, international trade, U.S.-Mexico relations, tax reform, judicial selection (merit election of judges), public school reform, higher education funding, and pay equity.
Historical Note
The Texas Women's Alliance (TWA) is a women's organization that researches issues, makes policy recommendations, and works to influence government, with a focus on Texas affairs. Formed in 1984, the founders of the TWA believed there was a need for an organization to represent conservative and business-oriented women. The organization is non-partisan, welcoming conservatives regardless of party affiliation. It became a non-profit corporation in 1985.
The TWA attempts to recruit women who are professional, business and civic leaders; its activities include conducting seminars and conferences on issues, publishing position papers, and testifying before Texas Senate and House committees. They study and recommend policy on the state budget, economic growth, international trade, U.S.–Mexico relations, tax reform, judicial selection, public schools and higher education. The organization has endorsed merit election of judges and opposed the policy of comparable worth (pay equity).
Between 1987 and 1994, members of the Texas Women's Alliance traveled overseas on trade and fact-finding missions, aiming to find new markets for Texas businesses and to promote economic expansion for Texas.
The first meeting of the organization was held in Dallas on December 9, 1984, at the home of U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. According to TWA member Billie Pickard, the group's founders were motivated by the experience of going through a presidential election where numerous liberal and single interest groups had purported to speak for women... The group was launched publicly in October 1985 by its chairwoman, Anne L. Armstrong, a former U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain, and by former San Antonio Mayor Lila Cockrell.
In 1985, a main office was set up in Austin, and local groups were created in cities across the state. Funding for the organization and its events has come from membership fees and from personal and corporate contributions. Cohesion is maintained in the organization by a networking system that includes retreats, encampments, a newsletter and a directory of members.
Sources:
Pickard, Billie., How, Why, When & Where: History of TWA, Part 1. Texas Women's Alliance Newsletter. Austin, Texas: January 1991. Folder 6:3, Texas Women's Alliance Records, 1984-1995, MS 11, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections
Scope and Content NoteThe Texas Women's Alliance Records document the history of the organization from its founding in December 1984 to 1995. The collection also documents and reveals the political views of the conservative Texas women politicians who belonged to the organization; these included: Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison; former Texas Senator and County Judge, Cyndi Taylor Krier; former ambassador Anne L. Armstrong; and former San Antonio mayor, Lila Cockrell. Material in the collection concerning these individuals is not extensive, however; it is limited to a small number of photographs, news clippings, biographies and résumés. The records are divided into four series: Administrative, Committees, Events, and Issue Files.
The Administrative series includes meeting minutes, press releases, organization bylaws, budget, and tax records. There are also résumés, biographies and photographs of numerous board members, as well as correspondence and memoranda revealing the thoughts and actions of the founding members as they first began organizing in 1984-1985.
The Committee Records series includes reports, position papers on issues, news clippings, the Texas Women's Alliance Newsletter, and membership directories, which include member names, addresses, occupations, and areas of expertise. The series also documents the group's trade and fact-finding missions to Spain and Japan (1987), Switzerland (1988), Eastern Europe (1991), Mexico (1992) and Canada (1994).
The Events series documents the Texas Women's Alliance's conferences, seminars, encampments and retreats. The conferences covered issues such as strengthening the Texas economy, international trade, public education reform, higher education, criminal justice, U.S.–Mexico relations, and pay equity. Conference material includes transcripts of proceedings, press coverage, correspondence regarding organizing the conferences, and publicity material. The series also includes files on events to bestow awards created by the TWA. Of note is the 1987 award of the Distinguished Service Award to Cyndi Taylor Krier; the files include photographs of this affair. The series also includes files on events to bestow awards created by the TWA.
The Issue Files, including newspaper clippings, reports, newsletters, pamphlets and other publications encompasses background information collected by TWA members, concerning issues they were studying. Issues include: Pay Equity, Public Schools, Teacher Certification, Higher Education, Home Equity Loan legislation, Tax Equity, U.S.–Mexico Trade, and Women in Politics.
Organization of Collection
- Series 1. Administrative
- Series 2. Committee Records
- Series 3. Events
- Series 4. Issue Files
Access Restrictions
This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.
Usage RestrictionsPermission to publish material from the Texas Women's Alliance Records must be obtained from University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
Preferred Citation[Identification of item], Texas Women's Alliance Records, 1984-1995, MS 11, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
Acquisition Information
The materials in this collection were donated by Texas Women's Alliance member Candye Bartos, on behalf of the Texas Women's Alliance, on December 15, 1995 (Acc. 1995-005).
Processing Information
Processed by Kassandra Green, History Student, August 2004 and
Paul Washington, Archives Intern, June 2005.
Index Terms
Organizations
Texas Women's Alliance.
Subjects
Conservatism--Texas.
Finance, Public--Texas.International trade. Women--Texas--Societies and clubs--History.Women in politics--Texas.Women in public life--Texas.Women's rights--Texas.
Locations
Texas--Politics and government.
Genres/Formats
Clippings.
Correspondence.Photographs.Biographies.Newsletters.Reports.
Local Subjects
Clubs and Organizations
Politics/Politicians
Women's Groups
Detailed Description of the CollectionAdministrative RecordsThis series includes meeting minutes, press releases, organization bylaws, budget, and tax records. There are also résumés, biographies and photographs of numerous board members, as well as correspondence and memoranda revealing the thoughts and actions of the founding members as they first began organizing in 1984-1985.
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
11Board Meetings,1984-198512Board Meetings,198613Board Meetings,198714Board Meeting,March 15, 198815Board Meeting,May 26, 198816Board Meeting,June 24, 198817Board Meeting,October 10, 198818Board Meeting,November 21, 198819Board Meeting,March 1, 1989110Board Meeting,April 6, 1989111Board Meeting,June 18, 1989112Board Meeting,August 1, 1989113Board Meeting,September 20, 1989114Board Meeting,November 1, 1989115Board Meeting,January 10, 1990116Board Meeting,March 15, 1990117Board Meeting,May 2, 1990118Board Meeting,June 23, 1990119Board Meeting,September 12, 1990120Board Meeting,November 14, 1990121Board Meeting,February 5, 1991122Board Meeting,April 30, 1991123Board Meeting,June 13, 1991124Board Meeting,August 10, 1991125Board Meeting,October 17, 1991126Board Meeting,December 5, 1991127Board Meeting,February 4, 199221Board Meeting,April 28, 199222Board Meeting,June 11, 199223Board Meeting,July 24, 199224Board Meeting,October 14, 199225Board Meeting,December 3, 199226Board Meeting,February 9, 199327Board Meeting,May 4, 199328Board Meeting,July 31, 199329Board Meeting,September 15, 1993210Board Meeting,November 18, 1993211Board Member Biographies and Membership Forms, A-G212Board Member Biographies and Membership Forms, H-P213Board Member Biographies and Membership Forms, R-W214Board Member Photographs215Budgets, 1987-1988, 1990-1992216Business Cards and Contacts217Bylaws,198531Contracts for Guest Speakers32Correspondence, 1984-198733Correspondence, 1988-198934Correspondence, 1990-199135Correspondence, 1992-199436Human Resources--Resumes37Incorporation,198538Issue Questionnaire,199439Marketing and Fundraising,1986310-11Marketing and Fundraising,1987312Media Contacts313Press Releases314I.R.S. Tax Exemption and Sales Tax Exemption41Tax Return, Form 990, 1985-198642Tax Return, 990 FY, 1986-198743Tax
Return, 1987-198844Tax Return, 1988-1989Committee RecordsThis series includes reports, position papers on issues, news clippings, the Texas Women's Alliance Newsletter, and membership directories, which include member names, addresses, occupations, and areas of expertise. The series also documents the group's trade and fact-finding missions to Spain and Japan (1987), Switzerland (1988), Eastern Europe (1991), Mexico (1992) and Canada (1994).
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
45Advisory Committee46Brochures47Brownsville/Maquiladoras Tour,December 4-5, 198748Brownsville/Maquiladoras Tour Photographs,December 4-5, 198749Committee Structure and Members,1986-1989, 1993-1996410Comparable Worth (Pay Equity) correspondence,1986-1987411-12Comparable Worth (Pay Equity) report,1986413Directory of Members, 1986-1987414Directory of Members, 1987-1988415Directory of Members, 1988-1989416Directory of Members, 1989-199051Directory of Members, 1991-199252Directory of Members, 1992-199353Directory of Members, 1993-199454Directory of Members, 1994-199555Directory of Members, 1995-199656Directory of Members, 1996-199757Excellence in Education Committee, 1991-199258Excellence in Education Committee--Photographs, 1991-1992 59Excellence in Education Committee, May-December, 1992510Excellence in Education Committee, 1993-1994511Founding Advisory Committee,1985-1987512Judicial Selection--TWA publication and background information513Marketing and Membership drives1987-1989514Marketing and Membership drives1990-199361News Clippings,1985-199162Newsletter,1985-198763Newsletter,1988-198964Newsletter,1990-199565Regional Development--Abilene66Regional Development--Amarillo67Regional Development--Austin68Regional Development--Dallas69Regional Development--Houston610Regional Development--Northwest611Regional Development--San Antonio612S.A.V.E Program613Strategic Planning Committee,1987614Strategic Planning Committee Report,November 198771Trade and Educational Mission to Eastern Europe,May 199172Trade and Educational Mission to Mexico,November 1992 73Trade and Educational Trip to Canada,August 16-21, 199474Trade Mission to Japan,September 198775-6Trade Mission to Spain,198777Trade Mission to Spain--Photographs,198778Trade Mission to Spain--Post-trip correspondence and follow-up visitors,1987-198881Venture Capital Network,1988-1989EventsThis series documents the Texas Women's Alliance's conferences, seminars, encampments and retreats. The conferences covered issues such as strengthening the Texas economy, international trade, public education reform, higher education, criminal justice, U.S.–Mexico relations, and pay equity. Conference material includes transcripts of proceedings, press coverage, correspondence regarding organizing the conferences, and publicity material. The series also includes files on events to bestow awards created by the TWA. Of note is the 1987 award of the Distinguished Service Award to Cyndi Taylor Krier; the files include photographs of this affair.
Arranged chronologically.
82Retreat,June 27-29, 198583-5First Annual Spring Conference,March 14-16, 1986 86First Annual Spring Conference, Photographs,March 14-16, 198687Anne Armstrong address on terrorism,May 29, 198688Second Annual Encampment,July 11-13, 1986 89Second Annual Encampment, Photographs,July 11-13, 1986810Distinguished Service Award to Cyndi Taylor Krier,February 17, 1987811Distinguished Service Award to Cyndi Taylor Krier,
Photographs,February 17,
1987812Second Annual Conference,February 17-18, 1987813Second Annual Conference, Photographs,February 17-18, 1987814Third Annual Encampment,June 26-28, 1987815Third Annual Encampment, Photographs,June 26-28, 198791Trade Mission to Switzerland,May 198892Remarks by Cyndi Taylor Krier to the Texas Women's Alliance,March 14, 198893-5Strategies For Economic Strength, Conference,March 14-15, 1988 96Strategies For Economic Strength, Conference, Photographs,March 14-15, 198897Fourth Annual Encampment,June 24-26, 198898Conference on Public Education Reform,March 1, 198999Distinguished Service Award to Rita Clements,March 1, 1989910Fifth Annual Encampment,June 16-18, 1989911Fall Event,November 16, 1989912Winter Retreat,January 9, 1990101Lone Star Politics, Spring Conference,March 15, 1990102Sixth Annual Encampment,June 22-24, 1990103Education for the 21st Century, Fall Event,October 17, 1990104Winter Conference,February 5-6, 1991105Spring Retreat,April 30-May 1, 1991106Seventh Annual Encampment,August 9-11, 1991107Fall Event, Distinguished Service Award to Kay Bailey Hutchison,November 6, 1991108Winter Conference,February 4-5, 1992111Spring Event,April 28-29, 1992112Eighth Annual Encampment,July 24-26, 1992113Fall Event,October 14, 1992114Winter Event,January 30, 1993115Agriculture and Ranching Meeting,February 9, 1993116Spring Conference,May 4-5, 1993 117Ninth Annual Encampment,July 30-August 1, 1993118Eleventh Annual Encampment,September 29-October 1, 1995119Conference on Criminal Justice and Judicial Selection,1995Issue FilesThis series includes newspaper clippings, reports, newsletters, pamphlets and other publications encompasses background information collected by TWA members, concerning issues they were studying. Issues include: Pay Equity, Public Schools, Teacher Certification, Higher Education, Home Equity Loan legislation, Tax Equity, U.S.–Mexico Trade, and Women in Politics.
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
1110-12Comparable Worth (Pay Equity)121Comparable Worth (Pay Equity)122-3Higher Education 124Home Equity Loan Legislation125Public Schools126Tax Equity127Teacher Certification131U.S.-Mexico Trade Relations132-3Women in Politics and Women's Groups