Senfronia Thompson
Encyclopedia
Senfronia Calpernia Thompson is a well-known civil rights leader and Democratic
member of the Texas House of Representatives
, representing the 141st District since 1972.
Thompson is the former Dean of Women Legislators in Texas. She has been elected to 20 terms in office. Thompson also advises the United Negro College Fund
in Texas.
. Her family moved to Houston, where she was raised.
She represents HD141, which covers the Northeast Houston and Humble area. Dean of women legislators, Thompson has served longer in the Legislature than any other woman or African-American in Texas history. A Houston attorney, Thompson is serving her 20th term in the Texas House of Representatives.
Thompson has chaired both the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and the Women's Health Caucus. She is also a member of the Democratic National Committee
, a state director of Women in Government, and a member of the Energy Council. She serves on the House Committees on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, State Sovereignty, Licensing and Administrative Procedures, and chairs the Local and Consent Calendar procedural committee. For 12 years, she chaired the House Judicial Affairs Committees. In 1987, she chaired the first standing committee in the Legislature to have a female majority.
Thompson has authored and passed more than 200 Texas laws, including Texas´ first alimony law, the James Byrd, Jr.
Hate Crimes Act, laws prohibiting racial profiling, the state minimum wage, the Durable Power of Attorney Act, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the Sexual Assault Program Fund, the Model School Records Flagging Act, the Uniform Child Custody & Jurisdiction Enforcement Act, contraceptive parity, and scores of other reforms benefiting women, children and the elderly. Thompson pushed through major reforms in child support enforcement, simplified probate proceedings, and complete overhauls of statutes dealing with statutory county courts and municipal courts. In 2005, she passed legislation requiring free testing for the human papilloma virus (HPV), an early indicator of cervical cancer, for women who have health insurance.
Thompson has been in the forefront of every campaign against discrimination for the last four decades. Thompson has among the highest ranks of any legislator for her voting record on issues of concern to women, minorities, labor, consumers, reform advocates, domestic violence victims, the elderly, teachers and civil libertarians.
A former public school teacher, Thompson firmly believes in the value of public education; she has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Texas Southern University
, a Master's degree in Education, a law degree, and a Masters of Law in international law. For many years, she has served on the advisory board of the United Negro College Fund
. Thompson has two adult children and one grandson.
She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha
sorority.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
, representing the 141st District since 1972.
Thompson is the former Dean of Women Legislators in Texas. She has been elected to 20 terms in office. Thompson also advises the United Negro College Fund
United Negro College Fund
The United Negro College Fund is an American philanthropic organization that fundraises college tuition money for black students and general scholarship funds for 39 private historically black colleges and universities. The UNCF was incorporated on April 25, 1944 by Frederick D. Patterson , Mary...
in Texas.
Biography
Thompson was born in Booth, TexasBooth, Texas
Booth is a small unincorporated community in Fort Bend County, Texas, United States.-Education:Booth is zoned to schools in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District.Zoned schools include:...
. Her family moved to Houston, where she was raised.
She represents HD141, which covers the Northeast Houston and Humble area. Dean of women legislators, Thompson has served longer in the Legislature than any other woman or African-American in Texas history. A Houston attorney, Thompson is serving her 20th term in the Texas House of Representatives.
Thompson has chaired both the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and the Women's Health Caucus. She is also a member of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, a state director of Women in Government, and a member of the Energy Council. She serves on the House Committees on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, State Sovereignty, Licensing and Administrative Procedures, and chairs the Local and Consent Calendar procedural committee. For 12 years, she chaired the House Judicial Affairs Committees. In 1987, she chaired the first standing committee in the Legislature to have a female majority.
Thompson has authored and passed more than 200 Texas laws, including Texas´ first alimony law, the James Byrd, Jr.
James Byrd, Jr.
James Byrd, Jr. was an African-American who was murdered by three white men, asserted to be white supremacists, during a racially motivated crime in Jasper, Texas, on June 7, 1998. Shawn Berry, Lawrence Brewer, and John King dragged Byrd behind a pick-up truck along an asphalt road after they...
Hate Crimes Act, laws prohibiting racial profiling, the state minimum wage, the Durable Power of Attorney Act, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the Sexual Assault Program Fund, the Model School Records Flagging Act, the Uniform Child Custody & Jurisdiction Enforcement Act, contraceptive parity, and scores of other reforms benefiting women, children and the elderly. Thompson pushed through major reforms in child support enforcement, simplified probate proceedings, and complete overhauls of statutes dealing with statutory county courts and municipal courts. In 2005, she passed legislation requiring free testing for the human papilloma virus (HPV), an early indicator of cervical cancer, for women who have health insurance.
Legacy and honors
- 2005, Matt Garcia Award from the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus;
- PinkDome.com named her one of the Top 2 House members.
- 2001, named by Texas Monthly as one of the "Top 10 Legislators";
- AP named her one of six lawmakers "Who Rocked the Legislature."
- 2003, selected as one of the Top Five House members by Gallery Watch;
- Nation magazine named her one of 8 legislators in the country "who could teach Congressional Democrats."
- Selected as an Eleanor Roosevelt Fellow by the Center for Policy Alternatives.
- Named one of the Top Three legislators in family law four sessions in a row.
- Only recipient of the Legislative Black Caucus´ Rosa Parks Award.
Thompson has been in the forefront of every campaign against discrimination for the last four decades. Thompson has among the highest ranks of any legislator for her voting record on issues of concern to women, minorities, labor, consumers, reform advocates, domestic violence victims, the elderly, teachers and civil libertarians.
A former public school teacher, Thompson firmly believes in the value of public education; she has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
, a Master's degree in Education, a law degree, and a Masters of Law in international law. For many years, she has served on the advisory board of the United Negro College Fund
United Negro College Fund
The United Negro College Fund is an American philanthropic organization that fundraises college tuition money for black students and general scholarship funds for 39 private historically black colleges and universities. The UNCF was incorporated on April 25, 1944 by Frederick D. Patterson , Mary...
. Thompson has two adult children and one grandson.
She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
sorority.
External links
- Texas House of Representatives - Senfronia Thompson official TX House website
- Senfronia Thompson For Speaker Of The House official campaign website
- Project Vote Smart - Representative Senfronia Thompson (TX) profile
- Follow the Money - Senfronia Thompson