Wilhelmina Ruth Delco

Wilhelmina Ruth Delco (née Fitzgerald; born July 16, 1929) is an American politician who served in the Texas House of Representatives.[1] She was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in 1986.[2]

Wilhelmina Ruth Delco
Speaker pro tempore of the Texas House of Representatives
In office
January 17, 1991  1993
Preceded byMichael D. McKinney
Succeeded byD. R. Uher
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 50th district
In office
January 11, 1983  January 10, 1995
Preceded byRené Orlando Oliveira
Succeeded byDawnna Dukes
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 37-1, 37-D district
In office
January 14, 1975  January 11, 1983
Preceded byLarry Bales
Succeeded byIrma Lerma Rangel
(Redistricting)
Personal details
Born
Wilhelmina Ruth Fitzgerald

(1929-07-16) July 16, 1929
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Exalton A. Delco, Jr.
(m. 1952)
Children4
EducationFisk University (BA)

Early life

On July 16, 1929, Delco was born as Wilhelmina Ruth Fitzgerald in Chicago, Illinois. Delco's parents were Juanita and William P. Fitzgerald. Delco attended Wendell Phillips Academy High School.

Education

In 1950, Delco earned a BA in sociology at Fisk University.

Career

In 1968, Delco was elected to the board of trustees for the Austin Independent School District, becoming the first African American elected to public office in Austin.[3][1]

Delco was elected to the House of Representatives for Travis County in 1974 and served ten terms in the legislature. From 1979 to 1991, she was chair of the Higher Education Committee for the House. From 1991 to 1993, she was speaker "pro tempore" for the House of Representatives. She retired from the legislature in 1995.[3][4]

She has been chair of the board of trustees for Huston-Tillotson College and adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Austin with the Community College Leadership Program.[3] She has been chair of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity of the United States Department of Education.[2]

In 1993, she received the James Bryant Conant Award.[5]

Personal life

Delco's husband is Exalton A. Delco Jr., whom she met in the cafeteria while attending Fisk University.[6] In 1952, Delco and her husband moved to Austin, Texas.

References

  1. McCartan, Anne-Marie (2017). Unexpected Influence: Women Who Helped Shape the Early Community College Movement. pp. 103–107. ISBN 978-1475828665.
  2. "Wilhelmina Ruth Delco". Texas Women's Hall of Fame. Texas Women's University.
  3. "The Honorable Wilhelmina Delco". The History Makers.
  4. "Wilhelmina Delco". Texas Legislators: Past & Present. Texas Legislative Reference Library.
  5. "Honors & Awards". Education Week. September 29, 1993.
  6. McCray, Marilyn (May 2009). "The Many Lives of Wilhelmina Delco" (PDF). Austin Woman Magazine. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
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