By: U.S. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas
Each year in March, we celebrate Women’s History Month in honor of the extraordinary leaders, educators, artists, and innovators who have impacted our lives and shaped our future. In Texas, we are no strangers to strong women. From the first woman to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor, to six-time Olympic medalist Elana Meyers Taylor, Texas women have enriched our culture, fought for our values, and exemplified true Texas grit and resilience.
From the earliest days of our history, women have made their mark on the Lone Star State. One woman that holds a special place in the hearts of many Texans is Jane Long, the “Mother of Texas.” Long was one of the earliest pioneers of the state, who originally settled in the Bolivar Peninsula. She earned her moniker because she claimed to be one of the first English-speaking residents to bear a child in Texas.
Although later documentation disproves that Long was the first woman to bear a child in Texas, many still referred to her as the mother of Texas, even while she was still alive. She eventually settled two miles south of Richmond, Texas, where she owned and ran a boarding house. And while Long passed away in 1880, her legacy lives on through her boarding house, a landmark location where Stephen F. Austin delivered a historic speech calling Texans to war during the Texas Revolution. Long is just one of the many Texas women we tip our hats to.
Another exceptional woman from Texas is the “The Lady of the Alamo,” Susana Dickinson. She is said to be the only Anglo survivor at the battle of the Alamo in 1836. Born around 1814 in Tennessee, Dickinson moved to Texas with her husband in 1830. She was one of many women who sought refuge in the Alamo with Texas troops when General Santa Anna and Mexican troops invaded San Antonio in 1836. After the battle, some accounts say that Dickinson was found in the powder magazine, while some say she was found in the chapel. General Santa Anna sent Dickinson to tell Texas troops that he would put down his resistance, and if they didn’t surrender, they would suffer the same fate as the Alamo. Instead of giving up or giving in, Dickinson ran to the Texas troops with a battle cry, encouraging them to go on despite the poor odds. Dickinson’s courageous spirit in that moment has inspired Texans for more than a century.
These women’s determination and leadership paved the way for future Texans like Frances “Poppy” Northcutt, NASA’s first female engineer to work in Mission Control. Born in 1943 in Louisiana, Northcutt grew up in Texas and attended what is now the University of Texas at Austin. After graduation, she started working for a NASA contractor as what was then called a computress, a woman who performed mathematical calculations, in service of the Space Race against the Soviet Union. Eventually, Northcutt’s hard work earned her a promotion to the technical team, where she would be the only woman in the control room during the Apollo 8 mission. Northcutt witnessed the results of her calculations firsthand: mankind leaving the bounds of Earth and entering space. Because of her calculations and the work of those on her team, the astronauts on Apollo 8 successfully orbited the moon and returned safely to Earth. She continued working on Apollo missions before going to law school and working as an attorney in Harris County.
Out of all the impressive women in Texas, the one that I hold closest to my heart is my wife of more than 46 years, Sandy. When I was 25 years old, I met Sandy on a blind date, and two years later we were married. She is a guiding force in my life and has been with me through every chapter and challenge. She has seen up close how seriously I take public service, and her own perseverance and conviction in the values that make Texas so special are part of the reason I’ve remained steadfastly committed to representing our great state in the Senate. Being Sandy’s husband will always be my favorite title and one of my greatest joys, along with our two daughters. She is and will always be the love of my life, and I am happy to celebrate her and all of the incredible women who call the Lone Star State home.
Texas has a history of strong, resilient, and inspiring women. I am proud to represent the women of Texas and honor them during Women’s History Month. Especially during this month, I encourage you to celebrate the women in your life who inspire you, bring you joy, and show all of us what it means to be a Texan.
Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Judiciary, Intelligence, Foreign Relations, and Budget Committees.
