Lone Star Historian 2: TSHA at San Antonio

"Lone Star Historian 2" is a blog about the travels and activities of the State Historian of Texas during his second year. Bill O'Neal was appointed to a two-year term by Gov. Rick Perry on August 22, 2012, at an impressive ceremony in the State Capitol. Bill is headquartered at Panola College (www.panola.edu) in Carthage, where he has taught since 1970. For more than 20 years Bill conducted the state's first Traveling Texas History class, a three-hour credit course which featured a 2,100-mile itinerary. In 2000 he was awarded a Piper Professorship, and in 2012 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wild West Historical Association. Bill has published over 40 books, almost half about Texas history subjects, and in 2007 he was named Best Living Non-Fiction Writer by True West Magazine. In 2013 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by his alma mater, Texas A&M University - Commerce.

Meeting of the TSHA Education Committee.
Chairman Eddie Weller at he head of the table, with
TSHA Education Director Steve Cure at his left

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 6,7, and 8, my wife Karon and I attended the 118th Annual Meeting of the Texas State Historical Association. On the way to our hotel on March 6 we drove past the Alamo, which fell on March 6, 1836. The TSHA headquartered at the Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk Hotel, and a record attendance topped 740 participants, along with an impressive lineup of vendors which overflowed the spacious exhibit hall into the lobby area. Forty-one sessions explored a rich variety of topics.

Vendors in the Exhibition Hall

At Thursday's Women in History Luncheon, the Liz Carpenter Award for Research in the History of Women went to Bruce Glasrud and Marlene Petre for their book, Southern Black Women in the Modern Civil Rights Movement. On Friday, the Fellows Luncheon welcomed two new TSHA Fellows, Cary Weintz of Texas Southern University, and Donald Frasier of McMurry University. A number of awards were presented, each with substantial cash prizes. The most handsome prizes were presented through the Mary Jon and J.P. Bryan Leadership in Education Award. J.P. Bryan awarded $5,000 each to Mary Scheer of Lamar University and to Pat Richey, a standout seventh-grade Texas history teacher from Keller ISD. The Coral H. Tullis Memorial Prize for Best Book went to Jason Mellard for Progressive Country. The Kate Broocks Bates Award for Historical Research was presented to Raul Coronado for A World Not to Come. The Ron Tyler Award for Best Illustrated Book on Texas History and Culture went to Jim Parsons and David Bush, co-authors of Fair Park Deco. The Al Lowman Memorial Prize for Best Book on County and Local History was awarded to Ignacio Garcia for When Mexicans Could Play Ball. There were several research grants awarded. All in all, we were reassured that an impressive amount of research and writing is steadily expanding our understanding of Texas history. The luncheon address by Michael A. Olives of the University of Houston Law Center was exceptionally entertaining and instructive. The Annual TSHA business meeting followed.

Historian Kenneth Howell with vendor Billy Huckaby

At six o'clock we gathered at the Alamo, where we enjoyed hors d'oevres and beverages while touring the grounds and visiting with Alamo historians. The Presidential Banquet, honoring TSHA President Gregg Cantrell, began at seven o'clock next door to the Alamo, at the historic and elegant Menger Hotel. President Cantrell spoke on "Lyndon's Granddaddy: Sam Johnson, Texas Populism, and the Improbable Roots of American Liberalism."

Awards luncheon

There were eight sessions on Saturday morning, and some participants lingered to enjoy the delights of Alamo City. As we departed, we knew we had been part of an outstanding TSHA meeting, and we looked forward to assembling next spring in Corpus Christi.