Martha Wong

Martha Wong
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 134th district
In office
January 14, 2003 – January 9, 2007
Preceded byKyle Janek
Succeeded byEllen Cohen
Member of the Houston City Council
from the C district
In office
January 2, 1994 – January 2, 2000
Preceded byVince Ryan
Succeeded byMark Goldberg
Personal details
Born (1939-01-20) January 20, 1939 (age 85)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Alma materUniversity of Texas, Austin (BS)
University of Houston (MEd, EdD)

Dr. Martha Jee Wong, born Martha Jee, (born January 20, 1939)[1] is a Texas politician who was the first Asian American woman to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives, representing Houston's District 134.[2][3] She served from 2002 to 2006 as a Republican. Moreover, she was the first Asian American woman part of Texas Spirits, an honorary spirit, service, and social organization on the campus of University of Texas at Austin. Texas Spirits is the oldest spirit organization at the University of Texas, founded in 1941.

History

Wong was born at St. Joseph Hospital in January 1939.[4]

Wong lived in the Houston Heights, initially within her parents' grocery business and later.[5] She attended Hogg Junior High School,[6] and then Reagan High School (now Heights High School) in Houston.[1] In 1993, she became the Houston City Council's first elected Asian American Councilwoman, and was elected to three successive terms. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas and both a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Houston.[7][8]

Controversy

In 2020, Wong was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott as the Chairwoman of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.[9] In 2023, she made the decision as Chair for the State of Texas to leave its membership with the American Library Association after political pressure from Republican lawmaker Brian Harrison following the election of Emily Drabinski as the President of the American Library Association.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Distinguished HISD Alumni Archived 2012-05-15 at the Wayback Machine." Houston Independent School District.
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Martha Wong".
  3. ^ "Texas House of Representatives: Member Martha Wong". www.house.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on 11 February 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Martha Wong Interview One" (Archive). Houston Public Library. Retrieved on August 18, 2015.
  5. ^ "Wong, Martha Wong transcript, 2 of 2" (PDF file). University of Houston. p. 1-3. Retrieved on August 18, 2015.
  6. ^ "Wong, Martha Wong transcript, 2 of 2" (PDF file). University of Houston. p. 5. Retrieved on August 18, 2015.
  7. ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System".
  8. ^ Martha Wong Biography. Asian-American Net.
  9. ^ "The Hon. Dr. Martha J. Wong". APAICS. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  10. ^ "Texas State Library to Cut Ties with Controversial American Library Association". Texas Scorecard. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
Civic offices
Preceded by
Vince Ryan
 Member of the Houston City Council
from the C district
January 2, 1994–January 2, 2000 		Succeeded by
Mark Goldberg
Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 134th district
January 14, 2003–January 9, 2007 		Succeeded by