Irma Lerma Rangel Collection (A1989-039/A2003-042)
Creator: Irma Lerma Rangel, May 15, 1931-March 18, 2003
Title: Irma Lerma Rangel Collection
Dates: 1976 to 2003
Quantity 263 linear feet
Introduction: Biographical Note
Irma Lerma Rangel was a dynamic person who never hesitated to battle for a cause in which she believed. * She always credited her successes to her parents who lovingly taught her independence and gave her a feeling of self worth. Her sense of loyalty to her family and friends was paramount and her need to be of service to her community was overwhelming.
Born on May 15, 1931 Irma was the youngest of three daughters. Her father, Presciliano Martinez Rangel, from Duval County, was orphaned at an early age and was able to attend school for only one year. Her mother Herminia Lerma moved with her parents to Kingsville from Starr County and they worked in the fields so that she was not able to receive an education past third grade. She too was orphaned, when she was only eleven years old. When she met Pres (as he was generally called), she found the man of her dreams and they married and settled in Kingsville where they both devoted their lives to opposing old stereotypes and combating injustices. They were faced with discrimination in a segregated community and they did not accept it. They had three daughters who they taught to fight injustices and stand up for the poor and oppressed. They never accepted that “women” were not equal to men.
Mr. Rangel was a hard-working man who during his life worked in farming, ranching, construction and business. He became a merchant, owning an appliance store, a furniture store, a plumbing service, two barber shops and a bar. He also helped his wife build a successful dress shop located just off the main street of Kingsville and not restricted to the “Mexican” side of town. The three sisters grew up working along side of their parents. Irma would later recall how each week the parents would load their car with clothing from the dress shop and travel to small communities to sell their goods. One of the girls was always taken along to earn her spending money by selling candies.
In 1947, when Irma was a teenager, her parents were able to buy some land near Texas College of Arts and Industries and hoped to build a home. But, the land was in the “Anglo-white” district and the neighbors organized against allowing a “Mexican” family build in their neighborhood. The neighbors feared allowing this family in their area because Mr. Rangel was active in an organization called “The Good Government League.” This group of progressive citizens, from all ethnic and racial groups, was campaigning for equality in city government and had been able to muster enough support from both “Anglos” and Mexican Americans to elect the first minority members to the school board and the city council. Ultimately, an important and influential “Anglo” intervened on their behalf and the family was allowed to design and build the Spanish colonial style house across from the college campus that Irma called home until her dying day.
Irma and her sisters grew up in Kingsville, attending the “Mexican Ward” School for the elementary grades, and the town’s only, and integrated, high school. One of the three sisters went on to the University of Texas in Austin, but Irma and her oldest sister decided to attend Texas College of Arts & Industries. After graduating with degrees in education Irma began teaching in the neighboring community of Robstown, Texas. Then she and her oldest sister, Olga decided to become teachers in an overseas program in Venezuela. Years later Irma would talk fondly about the Latin American experience. When she returned from Venezuela she took a teaching job in California where her landlady had a profound influence on her life. People frequently would comment about her unusual language accent. Her “loud and forceful voice” included an accent that made her sound as if she had grown up in the northeastern section of the country. She commented to one of her administrative assistance, that she had acquired her accent from this landlady.
Jeremy Brown, a reporter for the Corpus Christi Caller times also related in an article that he wrote in the last days of her life, that “To those who know her, Rangel has an unmistakable voice. She enunciates her words syllable-by-syllable, with the precision of an experienced orator. Her pitch rises and falls, rhythmically, as if she invests a steady but hefty dose of emotion into every sentence. Then there is that accent, which some have said sounds British, or at lest European, but which Rangel says might come from speaking Spanish with an English syntax when she was a little girl, in a childish attempt to sound like she actually knew English.”
Although the source of her unusual voice might be a mystery, there was never any mystery about what Representative Rangel believed was right. Her hefty voice matched her strong will and she worked tirelessly for the issues she championed.
This determination to be of service to society and fight for good causes might have been the reason Irma decided to return to Texas and attend St. Mary’s University Law School. After law school, Rangel went on to become one of the first Hispanic female law clerks for a Federal District Judge. After her clerkship with Judge Adrian Spears she became one of the first Hispanic women assistant district attorneys in Texas by working in the District Attorney’s office in Nueces County. She then returned to her hometown of Kingsville where she opened her own law practice and was the only Hispanic woman attorney in the city. Her partner and friend, Hector Garcia, would greatly influence her political activities.
In 1974 Irma began her life in politics by running for, and winning the chairmanship of the Kleberg County Democratic Party. But she had more ambitious goals and decided to run for a seat in the Texas State House of Representatives. She gathered her girlhood friends, family, and a few newcomers to Kingsville and worked hard to win the seat that would make her the first and only Hispanic woman in the State Legislature.
In 1993, she closed her successful law practice in order to serve her district as a legislator full-time. Upon her death on March 17, 2003 the Mexican American Legislative Caucus of the Texas House of Representatives issued a news release, which very aptly summarizes her Legislative career. Irma Rangel was always extremely proud of her service on this caucus and talked about her time as this Caucus’ chair as one of the milestones of her political career. It is fitting that the news release so correctly mentioned the highlights of her career as she would have expressed them. The news item reports:
“First elected in 1976, Representative Rangel served her South Texas district for 26 years. As the first female Mexican American legislator and first and only woman to serve as Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, she paved the way for others to follow. A champion of minority and student issues in Texas, Representative Rangel fought for her constituents leaving her mark on the history of this great state.
During her first legislative session, Representative Rangel passed legislation creating educational and training opportunities for single mothers in need of better paying jobs. In 1993, she secured $460 million for South Texas with the South Texas Border Initiative. In the last legislative session, Representative Rangel passed a bill creating South Texas’ first professional school—the school of pharmacy at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
In 1995, House Speaker James E. “Pete” Laney appointed Representative Rangel Chair of the Texas House Committee on Higher Education. As the first Mexican American to head the committee, Representative Rangel led the charge to ensure educational opportunities for all children. Representative Rangel joint-authored and sponsored legislation creating the TEXAS Grant I and Grant II Programs, which have allocated millions of dollars in financial support to low-income students. In response to the Hopwood v. Texas decision, which ended affirmative action at all state colleges and universities, Representative Rangel pioneered landmark legislation in 1997 that is now receiving national attention. The passage of House Bill 588 requires state colleges and universities to automatically admit all students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class. ‘She understood that the way people break out of cycles of poverty is through education, and she fought tirelessly, right up until her death, to make the dream of a college degree the reality for thousands upon thousands of students,’ [according to] Representative Pete Gallego.
Representative Rangel received numerous awards for her public service. In 1994, Representative Irma Rangel was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. GEMS television named her Woman of the Year in 1997. In 1998, Representative Rangel became the first Mexican American to receive the Mirabeau B. Lamar Medal from the Association of Texas Colleges and Universities.
Representative Pete Gallego concluded: ‘Her life is a testament to everything that is good about public service. I called her a little angel because that’s what she was: our little angel. I hope she is resting peacefully. Our loss is Heaven’s gain.’
This year, [2003] the Mexican American Legislative Foundation Inc., sponsored the inaugural Moreno/Rangel Legislative Leadership Program to encourage the involvement of young Hispanics in the political process. Named for Representative Irma Rangel and Representative Paul C. Moreno, El Paso, Dean of the Texas House, the program provides undergraduate and graduate students from across Texas an opportunity to gain first-hand governmental experience working in the Texas House of Representatives during the Legislative Session. Representative Irma Rangel touched the lives of the members of MALC. It is fitting that a program to further the education of young Texans will always bear her name.”
* Cecilia Aros Hunter, Archivist, was a personal family friend for over thirty years. Comments that are not attributed to others are personal memories and observations.
Scope and Contents of the Collection:
The collection consists mainly of legislative papers created while Irma Rangel served in the Texas State Legislature for almost twenty-six years and papers left in her law office in Kingsville, Texas. Also included are memorabilia left in her Austin office including plaques, awards, certificates, constituents gifts and other keepsakes accumulated as she traveled. Other personal materials from her home are still being accumulated.
Arrangement of the Papers:
The collection consists of three series:
Sub Series 1: Constituent & Non-Constituent Letters (See also District)
Sub Series 3: Memorandum
Sub Series 4: Recommendation Letters
Sub Series 1: Special Agencies/Interest Groups
Sub Series 2: Texas Department of Correction/ Criminal Justice
Sub Series 3: Texas Department of Education
Sub Series 4: Texas Department of Environment
Sub Series 5: Texas Department of Health/ Human Resources
Sub Series 6: Texas Department of Transportation
Sub Series 1: Districts/Redistricting
Sub Series 2: General Topics & Issues
Sub Series 1: Video Cassettes
Sub Series 2: Audio Cassettes
Sub Series 3: Disk
Sub Series 4: Rangel CDs
Sub Series A: Campaign Material
Sub Series C: Legal
Sub Series D: Media
Sub Series E: Memorabilia
Sub Series 1: Photos
Restrictions: Files relating to constituents correspondence and legal cases handled by the Law firm of Garcia and Rangel are restricted until it is determined what can legally be opened.
Restrictions on Access: See Donor File
Restrictions on Use: See Donor File
Related Material: The Carlos Truan Collection, A2000-036; University Archives, A1992-036
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Item Description, box number, folder number, Collection Title and Accession Number
South Texas Archives and Special Collections
James C. Jernigan Library
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
For example:
Ann Richards to Irma Rangel, Aug. 15, 1980, box 168, folder 2, Irma Rangel Collection (A2003-042), South Texas Archives and Special Collections, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Accession Information
Accession Numbers: A1989-039, A2003-042
Materials in collection number A1989-039 were donated to the Archives by Irma Rangel in 1989 without restrictions. The Texas State Library and Archives donated the Irma Lerma Rangel Collection of Legislative papers and materials in her Austin office to the South Texas Archives and Special Collections at the express wish of Irma Rangel and from her sister Minnie Rangel Henderson.
Included in this Sub Series are biographical materials, including resumes, birth certificate, and family data. Also included here are certificates of honors and awards, certificates of election and news clippings about events of a personal nature.
This sub series includes newspaper clippings dating 1971-2003 about Rep. Rangel’s legislative and political activities. Also located here are copies of the Newsletters sent from her office and some publications sent to her.
Sub Series 1: Constituent & Non-Constituent Letters
(See also District)
Letters sent by constituents with opinions and requests. 1979-2002. RESTRICTED
Boxes 13–21.
Personal correspondence and carbon copies of business letters sent out from 1977-2003. Also includes letters of sympathy, congratulations and general business.
Office memos. 1980-1999
Letters of recommendations for appointments for personal reasons for constituents or family and friends to State offices.
Sub Series 1: Speeches/Trips
Documents located here include travel vouchers, information about speeches Rep. Rangel delivered and travel approvals.
Materials located here include copies of bills introduced or supported by Rep. Rangel along with documentation and research she conducted to support her position. Information about her bill to support the idea of foster grandparents, a student written bill to allow a non-voting student to serve on local school boards, food donation by grocery stories to the underprivileged, creation of a County Court of Law for Kleberg County, bills about family violence and bills about higher education are some of the issues. Issues of significance to Rep. Rangel include legislation about affirmative action, programs to educate and train women on welfare, a bill to provide tuition to teacher aids who wanted to become certified teachers, a bill to make it easier for migrant workers to be able to vote absentee, and a bill to allow admittance to any state supported University if the student graduated in the top 10 percent of his/her high school class.
Sub Series 1: Special Agencies/Interest Groups
Reports and information about state agencies including the Texas Historical Commission, the General Land Office, the Industrial Commission, Association of Businesses and other agencies. Includes information about the Committee on Border & International Affairs, the Employees Retirement system, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Bar Association, Hispanic border Leadership Institute, Latino Associations, National Guard and the United Labor Legislative Committee.
Documents located here include information about battered spouses, household violence the Texas Rural Legal Aid, Inc., and correspondence from inmates at the Texas Department of Corrections. Also located here is information from the Attorney General’s office.
This sub series includes information about school financing, bilingual education, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and financing of higher education including information about tuition. Materials include information about Academy High School, Kingsville, adult literacy, the Hopwood Case and admission to Universities, and MALDEF and the South Texas Initiative that brought additional funding for education to South Texas. Several files are about the House Higher Education Committee, which was chaired by Rep. Rangel. Documents about the creation of a law school and a pharmacy school in South Texas; the name change at Texas A&I and the Texas A&M University System.
Documents in this subseries including information about Hurricane Allen, Water Bill problems, flood control, South Texas Water Authority, Choke Canyon and pesticide matters. Also included are information about Hurricane Bret, the shrimp and fishery business, and other environmental issues.
Sub Series 5: Texas Department of Health/ Human Resources
This sub series includes information about midwifery, the State Commission for the Blind, medical practices, the Rio Grande State Center for MHMR and other MHMR programs, the children’s heart program, child support and child abuse information, Planned Parenthood programs, and the Medical Transportation Program. Also included are documents about the Heart and Cancer Societies, Medicare and welfare programs, information about Licensed Vocational Nurses, and extensive material on the Oscar Gonzales vs. American Optical, et al, case.
Sub Series 6: Texas Department of Transportation
Included in this sub series are documents about the Highway and Public Transportation Agency, the Railroad Commission, the Gateway Interstate 69 project, State Highway 282, and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Sub Series 1: Districts/Redistricting
This sub series includes documents about concerns from the districts she represented including Kleberg, Brooks, Cameron, Willacy, Jim Hogg, Starr, and Zapata. Also included are documents about legislative redistricting due to the 2000 census.
Sub Series 2: General Topics & Issues
Included in this section are documents about issues of particular concern to Rep. Rangel including information about bingo, immigration and undocumented workers, insurance, LULAC housing, property tax relief, veterans affairs, women’s issues, affirmative action/Hopwood case, Alzheimer’s and Cancer societies, and other border issues. Also included are materials about civil rights, colonias, the death penalty, Alternative and Charter schools, public school education funding, the environment, property tax relief, and the Mexican American Legislative caucus. Other special issues of concern to the representative include information about the South Texas Border Initiative and a variety of women’s issues.
Sub Series H: Media
Videocassette tapes of activities in which Rep. Rangel participated and films on issues of interest to her.
Sub Series 2: Audio Cassettes
Audiocassettes are primarily of meetings attended by Rep. Rangel.
Sub Series 3: Disk
Disks are in Word Perfect and include letters to/from MALC and analysis of bills.
Sub Series 4: Rangel CDs
CDs contain information about the University of Texas System, Texas Coastal Oil Spill, Falundafa, Regional Strategic Plan, Mental Health and Red Apple Dummy Data.
Sub Series I: Memorabilia
Materials include mementos given to Rep. Rangel by organizations, communities and individuals.
Photographs of Rep. Rangel in the Legislature and on private excursions. Many photos appear to be snap shots taken by the Representative and many more are official photographs taken by the Legislative photographer. Some photos are of issues of concern to the Representative such as the dumping problems in a colonia.
As a staunch Democrat the political papers include information about her activities in the Democratic Party and her campaigns for office and for the people she supported for other elected offices. The Professional Papers include information about her law office and her work with her law partner, Hector Garcia.
Sub Series A: Campaign Material
Included in this material are donor information files, campaign expense reports, and other campaign literature.
Sub Series B: Administration
Documents located here include materials about the operation of her law office, insurance forms, invitations to private and professional events and tax forms for her law office. Bank statements and other financial information about her law office and partnership are located in this group of documents.
Sub Series C: Legal
Materials are restricted as they concern cases handled by the Garcia-Rangel Law office. RESTRICTED
Sub Series D: Media
Cassette tapes about legal subjects and explanations of the law are in this grouping of materials.
Sub Series E: Memorabilia
Materials located in this area include key chains, official pocket seals and a dictating microphone.
Sub Series 1: Photos
Photographs in this section are for campaign literature and of campaign celebrations.
Collection archived by:
Cecilia Aros Hunter and Elda N. Ayala