Ann Richards

Ann Richards
Name	Ann Richards
Caption	Official portrait, 1991
Order	45th
Office	Governor of Texas
Term start	January 15, 1991
Term end	January 17, 1995
Lieutenant	Bob Bullock
Predecessor	Bill Clements
Successor	George W. Bush
Office1	State Treasurer of Texas
Term start1	January 18, 1983
Term end1	January 15, 1991
Governor1	Mark White, Bill Clements
Predecessor1	Warren G. Harding
Successor1	Kay Bailey Hutchison
Birth name	Dorothy Ann Willis
Birth date	1 September 1933
Birth place	Lakeview, Texas, U.S.
Death date	13 September 2006
Death place	Austin, Texas, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	David Richards, 1953, 1984
Children	4, including Cecile Richards
Education	Baylor University (BA), University of Texas at Austin (teaching certificate)

Ann Richards. Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995. A member of the Democratic Party, she first gained national attention with her keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Known for her sharp wit and progressive policies, she was only the second woman to be elected governor of Texas in her own right.

Early life and education

Dorothy Ann Willis was born in Lakeview, Texas, and grew up in Waco. Her father was a truck driver and her mother worked as a Avon representative. She was a standout student, winning a debate scholarship to attend Baylor University, where she earned a degree in English studies. After graduation, she obtained a teaching certificate from the University of Texas at Austin. Her early experiences in Texas during the Great Depression and World War II deeply influenced her populist worldview.

Early political career

Richards' political career began with volunteer work for Sarah Weddington's campaign for the Texas House of Representatives. She was appointed to the Travis County Commissioners Court in 1976, becoming the first woman commissioner in the county in decades. In 1982, she was elected Texas State Treasurer, making history as the first woman elected to statewide office in Texas in over fifty years. Her efficient management of the office and her memorable speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention, where she famously tweaked George H. W. Bush, catapulted her to national prominence and set the stage for her gubernatorial run.

Governor of Texas

Elected in 1990, Richards focused on government reform, education, and economic development. She successfully pushed for the creation of the Texas Lottery, signed the state's first ethics law, and championed the "Texas Performance Review" to cut bureaucratic waste. She appointed more women, Hispanics, and African Americans to state boards and agencies than any previous governor, including the first African American to the Texas Railroad Commission. Her administration also oversaw a major expansion of the state's prison system. She was defeated for re-election in 1994 by George W. Bush.

Post-gubernatorial career

After leaving the Texas Governor's Mansion, Richards remained a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and a sought-after public speaker. She served as a senior adviser for the Washington, D.C. law firm Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand. She also served on the boards of several corporations, including J.C. Penney and the Aspen Institute. She authored a memoir, co-wrote a book on aging, and was a frequent commentator on CNN and other networks, known for her candid political analysis.

Personal life and death

She married civil rights attorney David Richards in 1953; they had four children before divorcing in 1984. Her daughter, Cecile Richards, later became president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Richards was open about her struggles with alcoholism, having sought treatment in 1980. In March 2006, she was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. She died of the disease at her home in Austin in September 2006, surrounded by family. Her funeral at the Frank Erwin Center was attended by thousands, including former President Bill Clinton.

Legacy

Ann Richards is remembered as a trailblazer for women in American politics and a defining figure of late-20th century Texas politics. Her tenure is noted for increasing diversity in state government and her unapologetically forthright style. The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, a public school in Austin, was named in her honor. Her life and career have been the subject of documentaries and plays, cementing her status as an icon of progressive Democratic leadership and Texas folklore.

Category:Ann Richards Category:Governors of Texas Category:Texas Democrats