Leaderboard
Celebrate Texas History Month -
Help Decide the Top Texan in Texas History!
In 2020, with three-time winner Sam Houston retired, Stephen F. Austin took home the title of Top Texan in Texas history! Who will be this year's winner? Sixty-four famous Texans face off against each other in the ultimate battle of Texas pride. Vote for your Top Texan through April 4th!
How does it work?
Prediction Round: Between now and March 17th, build your Top Texan Tournament bracket - it's just like March Madness for Texas history! Click on the entrants' names to learn a little more about them, then make your predictions. (You'll need to sign up for a free account to save your predictions.) Then, on March 18, come back to vote in the first round, and don't forget to vote in all the rounds after that!
Voting Rounds: Between March 18th and April 4th, vote for your Top Texans in each round's matchups.
How do I win prizes?
After each voting round, our system will calculate who most accurately predicted the results based on brackets submitted during the prediction round. The top point earners in each round will receive a prize. The top point earner at the end of the entire tournament will receive a special grand prize from the Save Texas History Program.
Tournament Schedule
Deadline to Submit Predictions: March 17
Round 1 Voting: March 18-20
Round 2 Voting: March 21-23
Round 3 Voting: March 24-26
Round 4 Voting: March 27-29
Semifinal Voting: March 30-April 1
Final Voting: April 2-4
Winner Announced: April 5
Thanks to all who participated in this year's Top Texan Tournament! We're already looking forward to 2022 - will it be a repeat, or will a new Top Texan come out ahead? See you next year!
Round 1
Round 4
Semi-Finals
Championship
Leaderboard
Round 1 | Matchup 1 of 32
Stephen F. Austin
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Lyndon Baines Johnson
36th president of the United States, serving from 1963-1969; ushered through significant legislation including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Great Society program.
Served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 12 years (1937-1949), and the U.S. Senate for 12 years (1949-1961).
One of only four people who has served as president and vice president, as well as in both houses of Congress.
Round 1 | Matchup 2 of 32
José de Escandón
Was the colonizer and first governor of Nuevo Santander; founded over twenty towns and villas and several missions on both sides of the Rio Grande.
Sometimes called the “Father of the lower Rio Grande Valley."
Died in Mexico City while standing trial for charges of maladministration; was posthumously exonerated of all charges.
George H.W. Bush
Career highlights: 41st president of the United States, 43rd vice president of the United States, 11th director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, U.S. Representative from Texas' 7th District.
Enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday during World War II, becoming one of its youngest aviators, and served until September 1945.
Focused on humanitarian activities after leaving the presidency; awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011.
Round 1 | Matchup 3 of 32
David Crockett
Nationally known for his reputation as a skilled hunter and frontiersman; served three terms in the U.S. Congress representing Tennessee.
Famously declared that "…you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas" after losing his 1835 reelection bid.
Arrived at San Antonio in February of 1836 and chose to side with Col. Travis' forces at the Alamo, where he was killed on March 6 during the battle.
Audie Murphy
The most decorated soldier of World War II; received 33 awards, citations, and decorations, and won a battlefield promotion to second lieutenant; received every medal that the United States gives for valor, two of them twice.
Appeared in 45 motion pictures, including The Red Badge of Courage (1951) and The Unforgiven (1960).
Wrote the lyrics to fourteen songs and collaborated on three instrumentals; wrote the best-selling book To Hell and Back (1949).
Round 1 | Matchup 4 of 32
Anson Jones
Arrived in Texas in October 1833 and established a successful medical practice at Brazoria as well as the first Masonic lodge in Texas; later helped found the Medical Association of Texas in 1853.
Appointed by Sam Houston to the position of Minister to the United States and earned the nickname “Architect of Annexation.”
The final President of Texas; upon the completion of Texas’ annexation, declared “The Republic of Texas is no more.”
Richard Overton
Enlisted in the U.S. military in 1942 at Fort Sam Houston; served with the all-Black 1887th Aviation Engineer Battalion in the Pacific Theater in World War II.
Because most African-American soldiers were forced into support details, he worked on building airfields, burial detail, base security, and as a jeep driver; however, he was also recognized for his expert rifle marksmanship.
Was the oldest surviving U.S. veteran upon his death in late 2018 at 112 years of age, credited "God and cigars" for his longevity. The city of Austin renamed the street upon which he lived Richard Overton Avenue in his honor.
Round 1 | Matchup 5 of 32
James S. Hogg
Born in Texas in 1851 and elected governor in 1890, he was the first governor of Texas to be born in the state.
As governor, he passed the “Hogg Laws,” which included the establishment of the Railroad Commission and an act restricting the amount of debt that could be incurred through county and municipal bonds, among others.
Successfully petitioned for financial support for a state archive.
James Earl Rudder
Football coach, educator, World War II hero, mayor of Brady, GLO Commissioner, President of Texas A&M University.
Commander and trainer of the Second Ranger Battalion, which had a major role in the D-Day invasion; commander of the 109th Infantry Regiment, which saw key service in the Battle of the Bulge.
Received the Distinguished Service Medal in 1967 from President Lyndon Johnson, the highest peacetime service award.
Round 1 | Matchup 6 of 32
Lorenzo de Zavala
Held several positions in the Mexican government, including governor, congressional deputy, secretary of the treasury, and diplomatic minister; resigned his diplomatic position when Santa Anna assumed dictatorial power.
Drafted and signed both the Mexican and Texan constitutions; advocated for Texas’ independence; served in the Permanent Council and as a representative of Harrisburg in the Consultation and Convention of 1836.
Served as the first Vice President of the Republic of Texas.
Julius Lorenzo Cobb Bledsoe
Native of Waco; a notable African-American composer and baritone known for his work in operas and films.
Performed internationally in several different languages with various distinguished musical organizations, most notably as Joe in Florenz Ziegfeld's 1927 production of Jerome Kern's Showboat.
Contributed to the U.S. war bond efforts during World War II with performance tours.
Round 1 | Matchup 7 of 32
Matthew Gaines
A former enslaved person; after he was emancipated following the Civil War, he settled in Washington County, where he became a leader of the Black community as a minister and politician.
During Reconstruction, was elected as a senator to represent the Sixteenth District in the Texas Legislature; focused on reforming education, prison, and tenant-farming, as well as protecting African American voting rights.
Helped to pass the Land-Grant College Act of 1862, also known as the Morrill Act, which provided grants of lands to states to finance the establishment of colleges specializing in "agriculture and mechanic arts;" Texas established the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University) and the first publicly funded Black college in the state, the Agricultural and Mechanical College for the Benefit of Colored Youth (now Prairie View A&M University).
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Rose through the Austin music scene with bands including the Nightcrawlers, Paul Ray and the Cobras, Triple Threat, and Double Trouble.
Earned Mick Jagger and David Bowie's attention and began recording albums; was named Best New Talent and Best Electric Blues Guitarist for 1983 by Guitar Player Magazine Reader's Poll and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
Won four Grammys over the course of his career; died in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990; Governor Ann Richards proclaimed October 3, 1991, "Stevie Ray Vaughan Day," and the city of Austin unveiled a memorial statue of Vaughan on November 21, 1993.
Round 1 | Matchup 8 of 32
Juan N. Seguín
Raised a company of 37 men after receiving a captain’s commission following the Battle of Gonzales; participated in the Siege of Béxar and occupied the Alamo before being sent out as a courier prior to the siege.
Accepted the Mexican surrender of San Antonio on June 4, 1836, and served as the city’s military commander through the fall of 1837.
Served in the Second, Third, and Fourth Congresses as the only Mexican Texan in the Senate of the Republic and later served as mayor of San Antonio.
Buddy Holly
Pioneering American singer/songwriter/musician from Lubbock who influenced many later bands such as The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
First to use the standard 4 piece band set of lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, and keyboard.
Died in a plane crash at age 22 in Iowa while on tour along with Ritchie Valens and “The Big Bopper” J.P. Richardson, an event known as “The Day the Music Died.”
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 1 | Matchup 9 of 32
William B. Travis
Arrived in Texas in 1831, after the Law of April 6, 1830, made his immigration illegal; he obtained a land grant from Stephen F. Austin and established a legal practice at Anahuac.
Recruited 29 men to reinforce James C. Neill’s command in San Antonio and quickly found himself in command of the Alamo garrison when Neill took leave; worked with engineer Green B. Jameson to fortify the mission compound prior to Santa Anna's arrival.
Penned the famous “Victory or Death” letter, addressed “To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World” to try to add reinforcements to the Alamo before Santa Anna’s siege; killed early in the Battle of the Alamo by a single gunshot to the head.
Charles Goodnight
One of the most famous and successful ranchers in Texas; sometimes known as the "Father of the Texas Panhandle" due to his founding the JA Ranch, the first ranch in the Panhandle.
As a Texas Ranger, he participated in the raid that recovered Cynthia Ann Parker from her Comanche captors.
Laid the route for the Goodnight-Loving Trail, one of the Southwest's most heavily used cattle trails.
Round 1 | Matchup 10 of 32
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
Participated in the failed Narváez expedition in 1527, eventually made his way to Mexico City in 1536, covering nearly 2,400 miles on foot; his trading with American Indians made him the first European merchant of record in Texas.
His book about his 18-month captivity by Coahuiltecans caused him to be regarded as Texas’ first ethnologist.
Known as the “Patron Saint” of the Texas Surgical Society because of a surgery performed on an American Indian who had an arrowhead lodged in his chest above his heart.
Doris "Dorie" Miller
Enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was assigned to the USS West Virginia as a Mess Attendant, Third Class - one of the few positions available to African Americans at the time.
Became the first African American hero of the war during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; assisted with moving his ship's mortally wounded captain, then fired a deck gun at the attacking planes despite never having been trained on the weapon; received the Navy Cross on May 27, 1942, in a ceremony at Pearl Harbor.
Served on the aircraft carrier USS Liscome Bay during the Battle of Makin in November 1943; the ship was torpedoed and sank, killing Miller; the Navy honored him by naming a dining hall and barracks for him, as well as a destroyer escort, the USS Miller; a forthcoming aircraft carrier that will be the most advanced and costliest in the U.S. fleet will also bear his name, and become the only vessel named for either an enlisted sailor or an African American when it enters service in the early 2030s.
Round 1 | Matchup 11 of 32
Quanah Parker
Son of Cynthia Ann Parker, the captive of an 1836 Comanche raid on Parker’s Fort.
The last Chief of the Quahada Comanche Indians.
After several years of tension with the U.S. Army, Parker and the rest of the Quahadas moved to the Kiowa-Comanche reservation in Oklahoma in 1874; federal agents named Quanah chief of the Comanche at the reservation, and he encouraged self-sufficiency among the Comanche.
Bob Wills
A musical pioneer in the western swing genre; born in Limestone County, Texas, in 1905.
Earned a Grammy for his final album in 1973, a posthumous Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Was elected to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers and inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Round 1 | Matchup 12 of 32
John O. Meusebach
Served as commissioner general of the Adelsverein, which helped bring thousands of German immigrants to Texas; founder of Fredericksburg, Castell, and Leiningen, and peacemaker with the Comanche Indians.
Signed the Meusebach-Comanche Treaty on May 9, 1847, in Fredericksburg. This treaty was one of the most important pioneer works of the Germans in Texas.
Elected to the Texas Senate in 1851 to represent Bexar, Comal, and Medina counties; in 1852, helped pass a bill to establish a system of public schools.
Scott Joplin
By age 7, he was proficient in the banjo and began playing the piano; eventually became known as the "King of Ragtime."
Received a formal education in music from Julius Weiss, who taught him sight-reading and harmony; began playing ragtime in St. Louis in 1890 and integrated his music into a ballet and two musicals.
Witnessed the staged collision of two railroad trains near Waco and wrote a popular piano rag called "Great Crush Collision."
Round 1 | Matchup 13 of 32
José Antonio Navarro
Elected to the state legislature of Coahuila and Texas, the Mexican Federal Congress, the Republic of Texas Congress, and the Texas State Senate.
One of three Tejano signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
The only Hispanic delegate to the Convention of 1845, which approved Texas’ annexation; helped write Texas' first state constitution.
Sam Rayburn
Served three terms in the Texas House of Representatives (1906-1912).
Elected as a Democrat in the U.S. Congress for Texas' fourth district; he had no Republican opponents throughout his entire congressional career and was the longest-running member of the House of Representatives, serving more than 48 years (1913-1961).
Elected Speaker of the House in 1940 and held the position until 1961.
Round 1 | Matchup 14 of 32
Benjamin Rush Milam
Was granted Mexican citizenship and commissioned a colonel in the Mexican Army in 1824; obtained an empresario grant in Texas.
A colonel in the Texas Army, he helped capture Goliad; he also inspired and led the attack on San Antonio from December 5 to December 9, which resulted in victory.
Milam was shot in the head by a sniper and died instantly on December 7.
Hector P. García
Founded American G.I. Forum, an organization dedicated to securing equal rights for Hispanic Americans.
Served in WWII as an infantry officer, a combat engineer officer, and a Medical Corps officer and surgeon, where he earned a Bronze Star with six battle stars.
First Mexican American to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award.
Round 1 | Matchup 15 of 32
Samuel McCulloch, Jr.
Joined the Matagorda Volunteer Company as a private on October 5, 1835, to fight in the Texas Revolution.
Fought at Goliad on October 9 and was severely wounded in the right shoulder, making him the first casualty of the Revolution; carried the musket ball in his shoulder for about nine months until it was finally removed by a Texas Army surgeon.
Successfully fought for his family's right to remain in Texas as free Black citizens and settled on land that he earned for his military service.
Daniel Webster Wallace
Born into slavery in Victoria County, he ran away from home as a teenager to join a cattle drive in 1877.
Gained the nickname "80 John." Branded cattle as a wrangler and horse-breaker for John Nunn.
Learned to read and write, then invested in and raised his own herd of cattle; became one of the most respected Black ranchers with an estate valued at over $1 million.
Round 1 | Matchup 16 of 32
Mirabeau B. Lamar
After the Goliad Massacre, joined the revolutionary army as a private; commissioned a colonel at the onset of the Battle of San Jacinto, where he commanded the cavalry.
Elected vice president in September 1836, and then elected president in 1838; suggested the location for a new capital city, Austin, on the frontier.
Nicknamed the “Father of Texas Education” due to his proposal for an education system endowed by public lands.
Chester Nimitz
Native of Fredericksburg, TX; guided the Allied forces to victory in the Pacific Theater during World War II and signed the peace treaty with the Japanese aboard the Battleship Missouri.
Supervised the building and installation of the first diesel engine to power a U.S. Navy vessel.
Developed the prototype for the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, which was duplicated at colleges and universities across the country.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 1 | Matchup 17 of 32
Adina de Zavala
Preservationist and granddaughter of Lorenzo de Zavala.
Central to the preservation of the Alamo and portions of the original wall and convent through work with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas; she barricaded herself inside the north barrack of the Alamo for three days in February 1908 to protest its destruction.
In 1912, she organized the Texas Historical and Landmarks Association, which placed thirty-eight markers at historic sites in Texas.
Benjy Brooks
Performed her first operations at the age of four – on her sister’s dolls.
One of the first women to enter the Department of Surgery at Harvard; in 1960, she became Texas' first female pediatric surgeon.
Today, the Benjy Brooks Foundation for Children provides grants for the study of pediatric illnesses and diseases.
Round 1 | Matchup 18 of 32
Lizzie Johnson Williams
Known as the "Texas Cattle Queen" due to her success as a rancher.
Believed to be the first woman to drive cattle up the Chisholm Trail under her own brand, which she registered in 1871 after investing in land and cattle.
A talented real estate speculator; owned several small ranches in multiple counties, as well as valuable property in Austin.
Janis Joplin
Had a brief yet prolific career singing the blues.
Rolling Stone ranked Joplin number 46 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004, and number 28 on its 2008 list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.
She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
Round 1 | Matchup 19 of 32
Ima Hogg
Became active in philanthropy after oil was discovered on her family's property. Founded the Houston Child Guidance Center, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, and the Ima Hogg Foundation, and worked to establish symphony concerts for schoolchildren.
Was very active in historical preservation, including the Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historical Site and the Winedale Historical Center.
One of the first three women to become members of the Academy of Texas, which honored persons who "enrich, enlarge, or enlighten" knowledge.
Mary Kay Ash
Founded Beauty by Mary Kay in 1963, which developed into the internationally successful Mary Kay Cosmetics Company, headquartered in Dallas.
Known as one of America's greatest female entrepreneurs, she stressed the importance of treating others well and recognizing their accomplishments.
Became an active leader in the fight for the cure for cancer after her husband’s losing battle with the disease.
Round 1 | Matchup 20 of 32
Jane Herbert Wilkinson Long
Texas pioneer nicknamed the "Mother of Texas;" claimed to be the first English-speaking woman to give birth to a child on Texas soil at Bolivar Peninsula on December 21, 1821.
Received a grant of a league of land from Stephen F. Austin, part of which was developed into the townsite of Richmond in Fort Bend County.
Owned boarding houses in Texas, including a successful hotel in Brazoria that served new emigrants and held a ball for Stephen F. Austin in 1835.
Katherine Stinson Otero
In 1912 she became the fourth American woman to earn her pilot's license and later toured the country doing stunts as "the Flying Schoolgirl."
Established the Stinson School of Flying in San Antonio and converted the parade grounds of Ft. Sam Houston into a flying field.
In a plane she built herself, she was the first woman to master the "loop-the-loop" stunt; was the first person to fly at night; the first to perform night-time sky-writing; the first to fly in Asia; the first female USPS mail pilot. She applied to fly in World War I but was rejected because she was a woman, so she volunteered as an ambulance driver instead and was accepted.
Round 1 | Matchup 21 of 32
Elisabet Ney
German-born sculptor who immigrated to Texas with her husband at age 39.
During her career in Texas, she sculpted busts and statues of Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, Albert Sidney Johnson, and Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth. Her works can be found in the Texas State Capitol, the U.S. Capitol, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Her Austin studio is now the home of the Elisabet Ney Museum; the Texas Fine Arts Association (now the Contemporary Austin) was formed in her honor.
Selena
Known as the "Queen of Tejano Music," Selena was a beloved Latin music recording artist who was killed by the president of her fan club.
She was also sometimes referred to as the "Mexican Madonna" for her risqué outfits and dance moves.
At the 1987 Tejano Music Awards, she won both Best Female Vocalist of the Year and Performer of the Year. Her 1990 album, Ven Conmigo, was the first Tejano record to achieve gold record status, selling more than 500,000 copies.
Round 1 | Matchup 22 of 32
Miriam "Ma" Ferguson
First female Governor of Texas in 1924; she served two terms.
Became only the second woman elected as governor in the United States.
Had a lasting career in Texas politics, campaigning in 11 statewide elections between 1924 and 1940.
Ann Richards
Elected State Treasurer in 1982, making her the first woman in 50 years elected to a statewide office in Texas.
Became the second woman ever elected Governor of Texas in 1990, serving from 1991-1995.
Memorable quote: "Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."
Round 1 | Matchup 23 of 32
Susanna Wilkerson Dickinson
Known as “The Lady of the Alamo.” Moved into the Alamo with her daughter and husband on February 23, 1836.
Interviewed by Santa Anna after the fall of the Alamo and sent to Gonzales to inform the Texans of their loss.
Provided first-hand accounts of the Battle of the Alamo for the rest of her life, including testimony on land grant claims.
Bessie Coleman
The world's first licensed Black pilot; traveled abroad to attend aviation school in Le Crotoy, France, after discovering that no American school would accept African Americans.
After studying for ten months in France, she was issued a license on June 15, 1921, by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
Her first performance in Texas took place in Houston; on April 30, 1926, she died during a test flight before a show in Florida.
Round 1 | Matchup 24 of 32
Clara Driscoll
Businesswoman, philanthropist, and historic preservationist.
From 1903 to 1905, she worked with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to acquire and preserve the Alamo by personally paying most of the purchase price. The young philanthropist received extensive national publicity as the "Savior of the Alamo."
She was elected as the Democratic Party's national committeewoman from Texas in 1922 and served in that position for an unprecedented sixteen years.
Barbara Jordan
First African-American congresswoman from the Deep South.
First African-American woman to be elected to the Senate, preside over a legislative body, and be the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention.
Gained national prominence for her role in the 1974 Watergate Hearings as a member of the House Judiciary Committee when she delivered what many considered to be the hearings' best speech.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 1 | Matchup 25 of 32
Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson
Ran the office of her husband, Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson, while he was serving overseas during World War II.
As First Lady, she worked to beautify the city of Washington, D.C., and promoted the recognition of women's accomplishments, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Head Start program to help disadvantaged children.
Town Lake in Austin was renamed Lady Bird Lake due to her efforts with the Town Lake Beautification Project; responsible for the promotion of planting wildflowers along Texas Highways and the promotion of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 (nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill").
Betty Eve Ballinger
Co-founder of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 1891.
Served on the executive committee, wrote the organization's constitution and by-laws, and organized and presided over the Galveston Chapter of the DRT.
Supported the women's suffrage movement and helped co-found one of the first women's literary clubs in Texas.
Round 1 | Matchup 26 of 32
Mary Maverick
Established St. Mark’s Church in San Antonio and served as the president of the Ladies’ Parish Aid Society for over twenty years.
Prominent member of the San Antonio Historical Society and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas; she published memoirs that provide dramatic insight into pioneer Texas life.
As president of the Alamo Monument Association, advocated for the restoration of the site.
Dorothea Towles
Native of Texarkana who studied biology at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, with the intent of practicing medicine after she graduated.
While living in Los Angeles, earned a master's degree in education, then enrolled in modeling school.
Established a wildly successful modeling career that made her the first internationally recognized African American fashion model, working extensively in Paris and New York. She used her fame as a model to raise scholarship funds and expose the African-American community to haute couture.
Round 1 | Matchup 27 of 32
Angelina Eberly
Owned several lots in Austin and was the innkeeper of the famous Eberly House, which served Presidents Lamar and Houston.
Inspired citizens of Austin to resist government action during the Archives War of 1842 by firing a six-pound cannon loaded with grapeshot.
Operated hospitality businesses in Port Lavaca and Indianola.
All-Woman Supreme Court
Hattie Henenberg, Hortense Ward, and Ruth Brazzil comprised a special Texas Supreme Court which served for five months in 1925. It was the first all-woman high court in the United States.
Henenberg went on to work as an Assistant Attorney General of Texas, a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney General, and an Assistant District Attorney in Dallas County.
Ward was the first woman in Texas to pass the state bar exam and the first Texas woman admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Her career included work on women's property rights and suffrage.
Brazzil avoided publicity during her life. She passed the bar exam in 1912 after studying at the University of Texas and worked a variety of careers.
Round 1 | Matchup 28 of 32
Jane McCallum
Entered politics by campaigning for prohibition and women's suffrage; elected president of the Austin Women's Suffrage Association In 1915.
During World War I, as women's chairman of the fourth Liberty Loan Drive, she led Austin women in raising nearly $700,000 for the war effort.
Was appointed Secretary of State of Texas in 1927 and retained the position until 1933.
Arizona Juanita "Blind Arizona" Dranes
Lost her sight as a child during an influenza outbreak; received her first classical piano lessons at the Texas Institute for Deaf, Dumb and Blind Colored Youths (later Texas Blind, Deaf, and Orphan School) in Austin, which she attended from 1896 until she graduated in 1910.
While living in the historic Deep Ellum district in Dallas, developed her own distinct piano style known as "gospel beat," which incorporated secular styles like barrelhouse and ragtime with traditional church music.
Recorded several tracks for Okeh Record Company and toured extensively, becoming one of the first professional women gospel singers and most innovative pianists of the twentieth century. She influenced gospel superstars such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Thomas Dorsey.
Round 1 | Matchup 29 of 32
Annie Webb Blanton
First woman elected to statewide office in 1918, serving as Superintendent of Public Instruction. As Superintendent, oversaw the creation of a free textbook system, revised certification laws, increased teachers' salaries, and improved rural education.
Served for 18 years on the English faculty of North Texas Normal College (now the University of North Texas) and was active with the Texas State Teachers Association, including serving as president.
Taught for over two decades in the Education Department (now the College of Education) at the University of Texas.
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Competed in the 1932 Olympics in the javelin, hurdles, and high jump, and broke the world record in all three events.
Became an amateur golfer in 1943 and won seventeen consecutive tournaments, founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1948.
In 1950 the Associated Press voted her Woman Athlete of the Half-Century; was voted Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press six times during her career.
Round 1 | Matchup 30 of 32
Jovita González de Mireles
Fifth-generation descendant of a land grant recipient; was born on her grandparents' rancho near the border town of Roma, TX; became one of the first Texans of Mexican descent to obtain a master's degree authoring a thesis entitled "Social Life in Cameron, Starr, and Zapata Counties" (UT Austin, 1930).
Was an avid collector of Mexican-American folklore and became the first Mexican-American woman to serve as president of the Texas Folklore Society (1930-1932).
Taught at St. Mary's Hall in San Antonio, the San Felipe Independent School District, and for 21 years at W. B. Ray High and Miller High in Corpus Christi; wrote extensively on Hispanic historical figures in Texas and published a six-book series titled El Español Elemental; worked to promote the teaching of Spanish in public schools.
Emma Tenayuca
Nicknamed "La Pasionaria de Texas" for her efforts on behalf of the working poor in San Antonio.
Organized the Pecan-Shellers' Strike, the largest labor strike in San Antonio history, in 1938. Her achievements as a pioneering female civil rights leader were recognized by the National Association for Chicano and Chicana Studies and Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (Women Active in Letters and Social Change).
She was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame in 1991.
Round 1 | Matchup 31 of 32
Jane Maria Eliza McManus Cazneau
An accomplished journalist; known as the "Mistress of Manifest Destiny" due to her passionate support for American expansion, she also advocated for Texas' annexation to the U.S.
Founded the town of Eagle Pass, TX, with her husband.
Played an active role in U.S. diplomacy during the Mexican War, where she became the first female war correspondent and only American journalist to report from behind enemy lines.
Caro Brown
Reporter for the Alice Daily Echo and member of the Texas Newspaper Hall of Fame, Class of 2016; earned a Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting in 1955 "for a series of news stories dealing with the successful attack on one-man political rule in neighboring Duval County, written under unusual pressure both of edition time and difficult, even dangerous circumstances."
Assigned to cover the activities of George B. Parr and his family after another reporter was killed while covering the same beat; Texas Rangers warned her that she should always carry a gun, so she kept a pistol in her car; reported on Parr despite local attempts to block her from obtaining records.
Gained national attention in 1954 when she diffused a confrontation between Parr and an armed Texas Ranger by putting herself between the two men; Parr later said Brown saved his life.
Round 1 | Matchup 32 of 32
Emily Margaret Perry Austin
Sister of empresario Stephen F. Austin, she arrived at San Felipe in 1831 along with her family; later helped establish Peach Point Plantation.
Was the sole heir to Stephen F. Austin's estate, which made her one of the largest individual landowners in Texas upon his death, and the wealthiest woman in Texas.
Financially supported the first attempt at railroad development in Texas, helped bring the Episcopal Church to Texas, and helped found and support Austin College.
Lulu Bell Madison White
Served the NAACP as director of the Youth Council and organizer of new chapters throughout the state. She became the president of the Houston NAACP chapter in 1939, which grew to become the largest chapter in the South by 1943, thanks to White’s fund-raising efforts.
In 1945, chose the plaintiff, Heman Marion Sweatt, in the NAACP case that sought to integrate the University of Texas.
Became the state director of the NAACP in 1949, a position she held until her death in 1957.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 2 | Matchup 1 of 16
Stephen F. Austin
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
George H.W. Bush
Career highlights: 41st president of the United States, 43rd vice president of the United States, 11th director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, U.S. Representative from Texas' 7th District.
Enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday during World War II, becoming one of its youngest aviators, and served until September 1945.
Focused on humanitarian activities after leaving the presidency; awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011.
Round 2 | Matchup 2 of 16
David Crockett
Nationally known for his reputation as a skilled hunter and frontiersman; served three terms in the U.S. Congress representing Tennessee.
Famously declared that "…you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas" after losing his 1835 reelection bid.
Arrived at San Antonio in February of 1836 and chose to side with Col. Travis' forces at the Alamo, where he was killed on March 6 during the battle.
Anson Jones
Arrived in Texas in October 1833 and established a successful medical practice at Brazoria as well as the first Masonic lodge in Texas; later helped found the Medical Association of Texas in 1853.
Appointed by Sam Houston to the position of Minister to the United States and earned the nickname “Architect of Annexation.”
The final President of Texas; upon the completion of Texas’ annexation, declared “The Republic of Texas is no more.”
Round 2 | Matchup 3 of 16
James Earl Rudder
Football coach, educator, World War II hero, mayor of Brady, GLO Commissioner, President of Texas A&M University.
Commander and trainer of the Second Ranger Battalion, which had a major role in the D-Day invasion; commander of the 109th Infantry Regiment, which saw key service in the Battle of the Bulge.
Received the Distinguished Service Medal in 1967 from President Lyndon Johnson, the highest peacetime service award.
Lorenzo de Zavala
Held several positions in the Mexican government, including governor, congressional deputy, secretary of the treasury, and diplomatic minister; resigned his diplomatic position when Santa Anna assumed dictatorial power.
Drafted and signed both the Mexican and Texan constitutions; advocated for Texas’ independence; served in the Permanent Council and as a representative of Harrisburg in the Consultation and Convention of 1836.
Served as the first Vice President of the Republic of Texas.
Round 2 | Matchup 4 of 16
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Rose through the Austin music scene with bands including the Nightcrawlers, Paul Ray and the Cobras, Triple Threat, and Double Trouble.
Earned Mick Jagger and David Bowie's attention and began recording albums; was named Best New Talent and Best Electric Blues Guitarist for 1983 by Guitar Player Magazine Reader's Poll and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
Won four Grammys over the course of his career; died in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990; Governor Ann Richards proclaimed October 3, 1991, "Stevie Ray Vaughan Day," and the city of Austin unveiled a memorial statue of Vaughan on November 21, 1993.
Juan N. Seguín
Raised a company of 37 men after receiving a captain’s commission following the Battle of Gonzales; participated in the Siege of Béxar and occupied the Alamo before being sent out as a courier prior to the siege.
Accepted the Mexican surrender of San Antonio on June 4, 1836, and served as the city’s military commander through the fall of 1837.
Served in the Second, Third, and Fourth Congresses as the only Mexican Texan in the Senate of the Republic and later served as mayor of San Antonio.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 2 | Matchup 5 of 16
William B. Travis
Arrived in Texas in 1831, after the Law of April 6, 1830, made his immigration illegal; he obtained a land grant from Stephen F. Austin and established a legal practice at Anahuac.
Recruited 29 men to reinforce James C. Neill’s command in San Antonio and quickly found himself in command of the Alamo garrison when Neill took leave; worked with engineer Green B. Jameson to fortify the mission compound prior to Santa Anna's arrival.
Penned the famous “Victory or Death” letter, addressed “To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World” to try to add reinforcements to the Alamo before Santa Anna’s siege; killed early in the Battle of the Alamo by a single gunshot to the head.
Doris "Dorie" Miller
Enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was assigned to the USS West Virginia as a Mess Attendant, Third Class - one of the few positions available to African Americans at the time.
Became the first African American hero of the war during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; assisted with moving his ship's mortally wounded captain, then fired a deck gun at the attacking planes despite never having been trained on the weapon; received the Navy Cross on May 27, 1942, in a ceremony at Pearl Harbor.
Served on the aircraft carrier USS Liscome Bay during the Battle of Makin in November 1943; the ship was torpedoed and sank, killing Miller; the Navy honored him by naming a dining hall and barracks for him, as well as a destroyer escort, the USS Miller; a forthcoming aircraft carrier that will be the most advanced and costliest in the U.S. fleet will also bear his name, and become the only vessel named for either an enlisted sailor or an African American when it enters service in the early 2030s.
Round 2 | Matchup 6 of 16
Quanah Parker
Son of Cynthia Ann Parker, the captive of an 1836 Comanche raid on Parker’s Fort.
The last Chief of the Quahada Comanche Indians.
After several years of tension with the U.S. Army, Parker and the rest of the Quahadas moved to the Kiowa-Comanche reservation in Oklahoma in 1874; federal agents named Quanah chief of the Comanche at the reservation, and he encouraged self-sufficiency among the Comanche.
John O. Meusebach
Served as commissioner general of the Adelsverein, which helped bring thousands of German immigrants to Texas; founder of Fredericksburg, Castell, and Leiningen, and peacemaker with the Comanche Indians.
Signed the Meusebach-Comanche Treaty on May 9, 1847, in Fredericksburg. This treaty was one of the most important pioneer works of the Germans in Texas.
Elected to the Texas Senate in 1851 to represent Bexar, Comal, and Medina counties; in 1852, helped pass a bill to establish a system of public schools.
Round 2 | Matchup 7 of 16
José Antonio Navarro
Elected to the state legislature of Coahuila and Texas, the Mexican Federal Congress, the Republic of Texas Congress, and the Texas State Senate.
One of three Tejano signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
The only Hispanic delegate to the Convention of 1845, which approved Texas’ annexation; helped write Texas' first state constitution.
Benjamin Rush Milam
Was granted Mexican citizenship and commissioned a colonel in the Mexican Army in 1824; obtained an empresario grant in Texas.
A colonel in the Texas Army, he helped capture Goliad; he also inspired and led the attack on San Antonio from December 5 to December 9, which resulted in victory.
Milam was shot in the head by a sniper and died instantly on December 7.
Round 2 | Matchup 8 of 16
Samuel McCulloch, Jr.
Joined the Matagorda Volunteer Company as a private on October 5, 1835, to fight in the Texas Revolution.
Fought at Goliad on October 9 and was severely wounded in the right shoulder, making him the first casualty of the Revolution; carried the musket ball in his shoulder for about nine months until it was finally removed by a Texas Army surgeon.
Successfully fought for his family's right to remain in Texas as free Black citizens and settled on land that he earned for his military service.
Chester Nimitz
Native of Fredericksburg, TX; guided the Allied forces to victory in the Pacific Theater during World War II and signed the peace treaty with the Japanese aboard the Battleship Missouri.
Supervised the building and installation of the first diesel engine to power a U.S. Navy vessel.
Developed the prototype for the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, which was duplicated at colleges and universities across the country.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 2 | Matchup 9 of 16
Adina de Zavala
Preservationist and granddaughter of Lorenzo de Zavala.
Central to the preservation of the Alamo and portions of the original wall and convent through work with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas; she barricaded herself inside the north barrack of the Alamo for three days in February 1908 to protest its destruction.
In 1912, she organized the Texas Historical and Landmarks Association, which placed thirty-eight markers at historic sites in Texas.
Lizzie Johnson Williams
Known as the "Texas Cattle Queen" due to her success as a rancher.
Believed to be the first woman to drive cattle up the Chisholm Trail under her own brand, which she registered in 1871 after investing in land and cattle.
A talented real estate speculator; owned several small ranches in multiple counties, as well as valuable property in Austin.
Round 2 | Matchup 10 of 16
Ima Hogg
Became active in philanthropy after oil was discovered on her family's property. Founded the Houston Child Guidance Center, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, and the Ima Hogg Foundation, and worked to establish symphony concerts for schoolchildren.
Was very active in historical preservation, including the Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historical Site and the Winedale Historical Center.
One of the first three women to become members of the Academy of Texas, which honored persons who "enrich, enlarge, or enlighten" knowledge.
Katherine Stinson Otero
In 1912 she became the fourth American woman to earn her pilot's license and later toured the country doing stunts as "the Flying Schoolgirl."
Established the Stinson School of Flying in San Antonio and converted the parade grounds of Ft. Sam Houston into a flying field.
In a plane she built herself, she was the first woman to master the "loop-the-loop" stunt; was the first person to fly at night; the first to perform night-time sky-writing; the first to fly in Asia; the first female USPS mail pilot. She applied to fly in World War I but was rejected because she was a woman, so she volunteered as an ambulance driver instead and was accepted.
Round 2 | Matchup 11 of 16
Selena
Known as the "Queen of Tejano Music," Selena was a beloved Latin music recording artist who was killed by the president of her fan club.
She was also sometimes referred to as the "Mexican Madonna" for her risqué outfits and dance moves.
At the 1987 Tejano Music Awards, she won both Best Female Vocalist of the Year and Performer of the Year. Her 1990 album, Ven Conmigo, was the first Tejano record to achieve gold record status, selling more than 500,000 copies.
Ann Richards
Elected State Treasurer in 1982, making her the first woman in 50 years elected to a statewide office in Texas.
Became the second woman ever elected Governor of Texas in 1990, serving from 1991-1995.
Memorable quote: "Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."
Round 2 | Matchup 12 of 16
Bessie Coleman
The world's first licensed Black pilot; traveled abroad to attend aviation school in Le Crotoy, France, after discovering that no American school would accept African Americans.
After studying for ten months in France, she was issued a license on June 15, 1921, by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
Her first performance in Texas took place in Houston; on April 30, 1926, she died during a test flight before a show in Florida.
Barbara Jordan
First African-American congresswoman from the Deep South.
First African-American woman to be elected to the Senate, preside over a legislative body, and be the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention.
Gained national prominence for her role in the 1974 Watergate Hearings as a member of the House Judiciary Committee when she delivered what many considered to be the hearings' best speech.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 2 | Matchup 13 of 16
Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson
Ran the office of her husband, Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson, while he was serving overseas during World War II.
As First Lady, she worked to beautify the city of Washington, D.C., and promoted the recognition of women's accomplishments, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Head Start program to help disadvantaged children.
Town Lake in Austin was renamed Lady Bird Lake due to her efforts with the Town Lake Beautification Project; responsible for the promotion of planting wildflowers along Texas Highways and the promotion of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 (nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill").
Dorothea Towles
Native of Texarkana who studied biology at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, with the intent of practicing medicine after she graduated.
While living in Los Angeles, earned a master's degree in education, then enrolled in modeling school.
Established a wildly successful modeling career that made her the first internationally recognized African American fashion model, working extensively in Paris and New York. She used her fame as a model to raise scholarship funds and expose the African-American community to haute couture.
Round 2 | Matchup 14 of 16
Angelina Eberly
Owned several lots in Austin and was the innkeeper of the famous Eberly House, which served Presidents Lamar and Houston.
Inspired citizens of Austin to resist government action during the Archives War of 1842 by firing a six-pound cannon loaded with grapeshot.
Operated hospitality businesses in Port Lavaca and Indianola.
Jane McCallum
Entered politics by campaigning for prohibition and women's suffrage; elected president of the Austin Women's Suffrage Association In 1915.
During World War I, as women's chairman of the fourth Liberty Loan Drive, she led Austin women in raising nearly $700,000 for the war effort.
Was appointed Secretary of State of Texas in 1927 and retained the position until 1933.
Round 2 | Matchup 15 of 16
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Competed in the 1932 Olympics in the javelin, hurdles, and high jump, and broke the world record in all three events.
Became an amateur golfer in 1943 and won seventeen consecutive tournaments, founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1948.
In 1950 the Associated Press voted her Woman Athlete of the Half-Century; was voted Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press six times during her career.
Emma Tenayuca
Nicknamed "La Pasionaria de Texas" for her efforts on behalf of the working poor in San Antonio.
Organized the Pecan-Shellers' Strike, the largest labor strike in San Antonio history, in 1938. Her achievements as a pioneering female civil rights leader were recognized by the National Association for Chicano and Chicana Studies and Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (Women Active in Letters and Social Change).
She was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame in 1991.
Round 2 | Matchup 16 of 16
Caro Brown
Reporter for the Alice Daily Echo and member of the Texas Newspaper Hall of Fame, Class of 2016; earned a Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting in 1955 "for a series of news stories dealing with the successful attack on one-man political rule in neighboring Duval County, written under unusual pressure both of edition time and difficult, even dangerous circumstances."
Assigned to cover the activities of George B. Parr and his family after another reporter was killed while covering the same beat; Texas Rangers warned her that she should always carry a gun, so she kept a pistol in her car; reported on Parr despite local attempts to block her from obtaining records.
Gained national attention in 1954 when she diffused a confrontation between Parr and an armed Texas Ranger by putting herself between the two men; Parr later said Brown saved his life.
Emily Margaret Perry Austin
Sister of empresario Stephen F. Austin, she arrived at San Felipe in 1831 along with her family; later helped establish Peach Point Plantation.
Was the sole heir to Stephen F. Austin's estate, which made her one of the largest individual landowners in Texas upon his death, and the wealthiest woman in Texas.
Financially supported the first attempt at railroad development in Texas, helped bring the Episcopal Church to Texas, and helped found and support Austin College.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 3 | Matchup 1 of 8
Stephen F. Austin
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
David Crockett
Nationally known for his reputation as a skilled hunter and frontiersman; served three terms in the U.S. Congress representing Tennessee.
Famously declared that "…you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas" after losing his 1835 reelection bid.
Arrived at San Antonio in February of 1836 and chose to side with Col. Travis' forces at the Alamo, where he was killed on March 6 during the battle.
Round 3 | Matchup 2 of 8
James Earl Rudder
Football coach, educator, World War II hero, mayor of Brady, GLO Commissioner, President of Texas A&M University.
Commander and trainer of the Second Ranger Battalion, which had a major role in the D-Day invasion; commander of the 109th Infantry Regiment, which saw key service in the Battle of the Bulge.
Received the Distinguished Service Medal in 1967 from President Lyndon Johnson, the highest peacetime service award.
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Rose through the Austin music scene with bands including the Nightcrawlers, Paul Ray and the Cobras, Triple Threat, and Double Trouble.
Earned Mick Jagger and David Bowie's attention and began recording albums; was named Best New Talent and Best Electric Blues Guitarist for 1983 by Guitar Player Magazine Reader's Poll and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
Won four Grammys over the course of his career; died in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990; Governor Ann Richards proclaimed October 3, 1991, "Stevie Ray Vaughan Day," and the city of Austin unveiled a memorial statue of Vaughan on November 21, 1993.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 3 | Matchup 3 of 8
William B. Travis
Arrived in Texas in 1831, after the Law of April 6, 1830, made his immigration illegal; he obtained a land grant from Stephen F. Austin and established a legal practice at Anahuac.
Recruited 29 men to reinforce James C. Neill’s command in San Antonio and quickly found himself in command of the Alamo garrison when Neill took leave; worked with engineer Green B. Jameson to fortify the mission compound prior to Santa Anna's arrival.
Penned the famous “Victory or Death” letter, addressed “To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World” to try to add reinforcements to the Alamo before Santa Anna’s siege; killed early in the Battle of the Alamo by a single gunshot to the head.
John O. Meusebach
Served as commissioner general of the Adelsverein, which helped bring thousands of German immigrants to Texas; founder of Fredericksburg, Castell, and Leiningen, and peacemaker with the Comanche Indians.
Signed the Meusebach-Comanche Treaty on May 9, 1847, in Fredericksburg. This treaty was one of the most important pioneer works of the Germans in Texas.
Elected to the Texas Senate in 1851 to represent Bexar, Comal, and Medina counties; in 1852, helped pass a bill to establish a system of public schools.
Round 3 | Matchup 4 of 8
José Antonio Navarro
Elected to the state legislature of Coahuila and Texas, the Mexican Federal Congress, the Republic of Texas Congress, and the Texas State Senate.
One of three Tejano signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
The only Hispanic delegate to the Convention of 1845, which approved Texas’ annexation; helped write Texas' first state constitution.
Samuel McCulloch, Jr.
Joined the Matagorda Volunteer Company as a private on October 5, 1835, to fight in the Texas Revolution.
Fought at Goliad on October 9 and was severely wounded in the right shoulder, making him the first casualty of the Revolution; carried the musket ball in his shoulder for about nine months until it was finally removed by a Texas Army surgeon.
Successfully fought for his family's right to remain in Texas as free Black citizens and settled on land that he earned for his military service.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 3 | Matchup 5 of 8
Lizzie Johnson Williams
Known as the "Texas Cattle Queen" due to her success as a rancher.
Believed to be the first woman to drive cattle up the Chisholm Trail under her own brand, which she registered in 1871 after investing in land and cattle.
A talented real estate speculator; owned several small ranches in multiple counties, as well as valuable property in Austin.
Katherine Stinson Otero
In 1912 she became the fourth American woman to earn her pilot's license and later toured the country doing stunts as "the Flying Schoolgirl."
Established the Stinson School of Flying in San Antonio and converted the parade grounds of Ft. Sam Houston into a flying field.
In a plane she built herself, she was the first woman to master the "loop-the-loop" stunt; was the first person to fly at night; the first to perform night-time sky-writing; the first to fly in Asia; the first female USPS mail pilot. She applied to fly in World War I but was rejected because she was a woman, so she volunteered as an ambulance driver instead and was accepted.
Round 3 | Matchup 6 of 8
Selena
Known as the "Queen of Tejano Music," Selena was a beloved Latin music recording artist who was killed by the president of her fan club.
She was also sometimes referred to as the "Mexican Madonna" for her risqué outfits and dance moves.
At the 1987 Tejano Music Awards, she won both Best Female Vocalist of the Year and Performer of the Year. Her 1990 album, Ven Conmigo, was the first Tejano record to achieve gold record status, selling more than 500,000 copies.
Bessie Coleman
The world's first licensed Black pilot; traveled abroad to attend aviation school in Le Crotoy, France, after discovering that no American school would accept African Americans.
After studying for ten months in France, she was issued a license on June 15, 1921, by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
Her first performance in Texas took place in Houston; on April 30, 1926, she died during a test flight before a show in Florida.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 3 | Matchup 7 of 8
Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson
Ran the office of her husband, Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson, while he was serving overseas during World War II.
As First Lady, she worked to beautify the city of Washington, D.C., and promoted the recognition of women's accomplishments, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Head Start program to help disadvantaged children.
Town Lake in Austin was renamed Lady Bird Lake due to her efforts with the Town Lake Beautification Project; responsible for the promotion of planting wildflowers along Texas Highways and the promotion of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 (nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill").
Angelina Eberly
Owned several lots in Austin and was the innkeeper of the famous Eberly House, which served Presidents Lamar and Houston.
Inspired citizens of Austin to resist government action during the Archives War of 1842 by firing a six-pound cannon loaded with grapeshot.
Operated hospitality businesses in Port Lavaca and Indianola.
Round 3 | Matchup 8 of 8
Emma Tenayuca
Nicknamed "La Pasionaria de Texas" for her efforts on behalf of the working poor in San Antonio.
Organized the Pecan-Shellers' Strike, the largest labor strike in San Antonio history, in 1938. Her achievements as a pioneering female civil rights leader were recognized by the National Association for Chicano and Chicana Studies and Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (Women Active in Letters and Social Change).
She was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame in 1991.
Emily Margaret Perry Austin
Sister of empresario Stephen F. Austin, she arrived at San Felipe in 1831 along with her family; later helped establish Peach Point Plantation.
Was the sole heir to Stephen F. Austin's estate, which made her one of the largest individual landowners in Texas upon his death, and the wealthiest woman in Texas.
Financially supported the first attempt at railroad development in Texas, helped bring the Episcopal Church to Texas, and helped found and support Austin College.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 4 | Matchup 1 of 4
Stephen F. Austin
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
James Earl Rudder
Football coach, educator, World War II hero, mayor of Brady, GLO Commissioner, President of Texas A&M University.
Commander and trainer of the Second Ranger Battalion, which had a major role in the D-Day invasion; commander of the 109th Infantry Regiment, which saw key service in the Battle of the Bulge.
Received the Distinguished Service Medal in 1967 from President Lyndon Johnson, the highest peacetime service award.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 4 | Matchup 2 of 4
William B. Travis
Arrived in Texas in 1831, after the Law of April 6, 1830, made his immigration illegal; he obtained a land grant from Stephen F. Austin and established a legal practice at Anahuac.
Recruited 29 men to reinforce James C. Neill’s command in San Antonio and quickly found himself in command of the Alamo garrison when Neill took leave; worked with engineer Green B. Jameson to fortify the mission compound prior to Santa Anna's arrival.
Penned the famous “Victory or Death” letter, addressed “To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World” to try to add reinforcements to the Alamo before Santa Anna’s siege; killed early in the Battle of the Alamo by a single gunshot to the head.
José Antonio Navarro
Elected to the state legislature of Coahuila and Texas, the Mexican Federal Congress, the Republic of Texas Congress, and the Texas State Senate.
One of three Tejano signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
The only Hispanic delegate to the Convention of 1845, which approved Texas’ annexation; helped write Texas' first state constitution.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 4 | Matchup 3 of 4
Katherine Stinson Otero
In 1912 she became the fourth American woman to earn her pilot's license and later toured the country doing stunts as "the Flying Schoolgirl."
Established the Stinson School of Flying in San Antonio and converted the parade grounds of Ft. Sam Houston into a flying field.
In a plane she built herself, she was the first woman to master the "loop-the-loop" stunt; was the first person to fly at night; the first to perform night-time sky-writing; the first to fly in Asia; the first female USPS mail pilot. She applied to fly in World War I but was rejected because she was a woman, so she volunteered as an ambulance driver instead and was accepted.
Bessie Coleman
The world's first licensed Black pilot; traveled abroad to attend aviation school in Le Crotoy, France, after discovering that no American school would accept African Americans.
After studying for ten months in France, she was issued a license on June 15, 1921, by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
Her first performance in Texas took place in Houston; on April 30, 1926, she died during a test flight before a show in Florida.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Round 4 | Matchup 4 of 4
Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson
Ran the office of her husband, Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson, while he was serving overseas during World War II.
As First Lady, she worked to beautify the city of Washington, D.C., and promoted the recognition of women's accomplishments, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Head Start program to help disadvantaged children.
Town Lake in Austin was renamed Lady Bird Lake due to her efforts with the Town Lake Beautification Project; responsible for the promotion of planting wildflowers along Texas Highways and the promotion of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 (nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill").
Emily Margaret Perry Austin
Sister of empresario Stephen F. Austin, she arrived at San Felipe in 1831 along with her family; later helped establish Peach Point Plantation.
Was the sole heir to Stephen F. Austin's estate, which made her one of the largest individual landowners in Texas upon his death, and the wealthiest woman in Texas.
Financially supported the first attempt at railroad development in Texas, helped bring the Episcopal Church to Texas, and helped found and support Austin College.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Semi-Finals | Matchup 1 of 2
Stephen F. Austin
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
William B. Travis
Arrived in Texas in 1831, after the Law of April 6, 1830, made his immigration illegal; he obtained a land grant from Stephen F. Austin and established a legal practice at Anahuac.
Recruited 29 men to reinforce James C. Neill’s command in San Antonio and quickly found himself in command of the Alamo garrison when Neill took leave; worked with engineer Green B. Jameson to fortify the mission compound prior to Santa Anna's arrival.
Penned the famous “Victory or Death” letter, addressed “To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World” to try to add reinforcements to the Alamo before Santa Anna’s siege; killed early in the Battle of the Alamo by a single gunshot to the head.
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Semi-Finals | Matchup 2 of 2
Bessie Coleman
The world's first licensed Black pilot; traveled abroad to attend aviation school in Le Crotoy, France, after discovering that no American school would accept African Americans.
After studying for ten months in France, she was issued a license on June 15, 1921, by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
Her first performance in Texas took place in Houston; on April 30, 1926, she died during a test flight before a show in Florida.
Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson
Ran the office of her husband, Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson, while he was serving overseas during World War II.
As First Lady, she worked to beautify the city of Washington, D.C., and promoted the recognition of women's accomplishments, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Head Start program to help disadvantaged children.
Town Lake in Austin was renamed Lady Bird Lake due to her efforts with the Town Lake Beautification Project; responsible for the promotion of planting wildflowers along Texas Highways and the promotion of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 (nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill").
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Championship | Matchup 1 of 1
Stephen F. Austin
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.
Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson
Ran the office of her husband, Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson, while he was serving overseas during World War II.
As First Lady, she worked to beautify the city of Washington, D.C., and promoted the recognition of women's accomplishments, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Head Start program to help disadvantaged children.
Town Lake in Austin was renamed Lady Bird Lake due to her efforts with the Town Lake Beautification Project; responsible for the promotion of planting wildflowers along Texas Highways and the promotion of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 (nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill").
Winner
Arrived in San Antonio in 1821 and was authorized to carry on the colonization enterprise begun under his father’s grant.
Settled 297 families, the “Old Three Hundred,” under the terms of his first contract and obtained three additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828 to settle 900 additional families.
Elected to lead the volunteer army at Gonzales at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution; served as the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas until his untimely death on December 27, 1836.