Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Eddie Bernice Johnson

Full Name: Eddie Bernice Johnson
Birth date: December 3, 1934
Death date: December 31, 2023

Terms of Service

Senate, 72nd ⁽³⁾ Legislature
1/8/1991 - 1/12/1993
Democrat
Senate, 71st & 70th Legislatures
1/13/1987 - 1/8/1991
Democrat
House, 65th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ Legislature
1/11/1977 - 9/30/1977
Democrat
House, 64th Legislature
1/14/1975 - 1/11/1977
Democrat
House, 63rd Legislature
1/9/1973 - 1/14/1975
Democrat

(1) Proclamation, 10/3/1977, ordering a special election in House District 33-O on 11/8/1977 to serve out the unexpired term of the Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson. Governor Dolph Briscoe .
(2) Lanell Cofer, in special election 11/29/1977, sworn 12/8/1977, succeeded Eddie Bernice Johnson, resigned 9/30/1977. First session was 65th 2nd Called Session. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(3) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1992 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators .
(4) Johnson resignation letter dated 9/26/1977, effective 9/30/1977. Texas House of Representatives, Chief Clerk's Office .
(5) Special election 11/8/1977, runoff 11/29/1977. Texas Secretary of State - Election Dates Including Special Elections, 1966-2001 .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

63rd Legislature, R.S., HSR 68. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
70th Legislature, R.S., HR 182. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
82nd Legislature, R.S., HR 654. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
71st Legislature, 2nd C.S., SR 102. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
72nd Legislature, 4th C.S., SR 8. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
85th Legislature, R.S., HR 452, celebrating Black History Month and honoring the leadership and vision of African American lawmakers. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
88th Legislature, R.S., SR 39. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
88th Legislature, R.S., HR 2308. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .

Texas Monthly's Best and Worst Legislators

Named one of 'The Worst'. Best and Worst Legislators 1991.
Named one of 'The Worst'. Best and Worst Legislators 1989.

Photographs

Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, State Preservation Board

Other Resources

JOHNSON, Eddie Bernice (1935- ). Representative, TX. Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress .
Biographical sketch, pp. 167, 199-200, 203. First woman to represent Dallas in both the Texas House and Texas Senate; first black female chair of a major committee, the Labor Committee. Black Women in Texas History 2008.
Photo and biographical sketch, pp. 169-173. First African American woman elected from Dallas to the Texas House, first African American from Dallas in the Texas Senate, and second African American woman to represent Texas in Congress. Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923-1999 2000.
Mentioned in biographical sketch of Senfronia Thompson. In 1973, Senfronia Thompson and Eddie Bernice Johnson were first two black women ever to serve in the Texas House. Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923-1999 2000.
Photo, mentioned in Minority Civil Rights and the Texas Legislature 2018.
Oral history interviews available in Oral History Collection, University of North Texas .
Delegate to the Texas Constitutional Convention, 1974. Record of Proceedings, Texas Constitutional Convention: Official Journals, January 8 - July 30, 1974 1975.
Notice of death, 1/3/2024 (updated), 1/1/2024. Speaker of the House .
Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 70th Legislature 1987.
Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 71st Legislature 1989.
Biographical sketch and photo. Texas Senate, 72nd Legislature 1991.
Johnson, Eddie Bernice. Texas State Cemetery .
Biographical sketch, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. United States House of Representatives .
Biographical sketch and photo. Women of the Texas Senate 2019.
Biographical sketch and photo. Women of the Texas Senate 2017.
Biographical sketch and photo, Women of the Texas Senate. Women's Suffrage in Texas: Struggle, the Story: Successes, Notable Firsts: Senators, Women of the Texas Senate 2019.