Speaker Jim Wright Collection

Jim Wright represented Texas’s Twelfth District in the U.S. House of Representatives for thirty-four years, from 1955 to 1989. During that time, he authored major legislation in the fields of foreign affairs, economic development, water conservation, and energy. The Interstate Highway System, Clean Water Program, and flood control are a few examples of the programs and issues he helped to advance while in office. Over time, he rose in stature within the Democratic Party. He was the House Majority Leader from 1976 to1986 and Speaker of the House from 1987 to 1989. As Speaker, Wright presided over the 100th Congress, one of the most productive in terms of legislation passed in the House’s history. Speaker Wright’s efforts included working to reduce the national deficit and finding a way to bring peace to Central America.

The Speaker Jim Wright Collection consists of papers, photographs, audiovisual material, books, and memorabilia that document his political career. The Jim Wright Papers, which span from 1911 to 2004, highlight the Collection. The papers provide insight into Wright’s relationship with his home district, as well as that with his colleagues in the House. In addition, the papers are an excellent representation of the social and political issues in the United States during the second half of the twentieth century.

The processing of the papers is ongoing, but the majority of them are included in the finding aid linked to below. Please contact Special Collections with questions regarding the finding aid or about gaining access to the papers themselves.

Finding aid for the Jim Wright Papers:

Overview of the Papers

Series I. Legislative, 1955-1989

Series II. Subject files, 1938-2001

Series III. Personal papers and photographs, 1911-2004

Series IV. Audiovisual Materials, 1958-2000