Texas History Minute: Medal of Honor inadequate for Audie Murphy
Ken Bridges/Columnist In Texas, 76 men have been awarded the Medal of Honor for their courage above and beyond the call of duty since the inception of the medal. Perhaps…
Texas History Minute:Sense of adventure led Post into aviation history
Ken Bridges/Contributing Writer For the adventurers and dreamers of the world, there are no limits. Wiley Hardeman Post was born on his parents’ cotton farm near Canton in November 1898.…
Texas History Minute: UTEP a pioneer for education
Ken Bridges/Contributing Writer As schools and universities across Texas begin their school years, teachers and administrators continue their work to educate students and improve lives. The University of Texas at…
Texas History Minute: Barbara Jordan Was a Texan For the Whole Nation
Ken Bridges/Contributing Writer Barbara Jordan was a woman of many firsts in her career. In her relatively short time in Congress and the Texas State Senate, she left an immeasurable…
Texas History Minute: Bradley at Heart of Music
Ken Bridges/Contributing Writer Texas musician Scott Bradley was never widely known outside of the studio, but his music was the heart of some of the most iconic American cultural icons…
Texas History Minute: Cronkite Was A Face We Trusted
Ken Bridges/Contributing Writer For years, he was considered to be the most trusted man in America. Texan Walter Cronkite became the face of the news for millions of Americans as…
Texas History Minute: Byron Nelson was a Texas Legend
Ken Bridges/Contributing Writer Texan Byron Nelson was a legend in sports. In the 1940s, he was the most successful golfer in the world, never losing his faith or his modesty.…
Texas History Minute: Serna definition of Service
Ken Bridges/Contributing Writer The generation that fought World War I is now gone, but their legacy of bravery continues to live on. One of those figures was Private Marcelino Serna…
Defaulting on debt throughout history
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer The federal government is facing a deadline with the ability to pay its bills. Unless a new limit is authorized, the government will hit the debt ceiling,…
Idar led women’s, Spanish movements
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Sometimes one person in a community can have an impact that continues to be felt for years afterward. Jovita Idar, a woman armed only with a pen…
Goodnight Blazed New Trails
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer In the years before oil dominated the Texas economy, farmers and ranchers made the state’s reputation through the hard days of tilling the soil and driving countless…
Kelton Wrote A Picture of Old West
As many writers have noted, writing is the painting of a picture in another person’s mind using only words. The magnificent scenery of Texas has inspired many artists and writers…
House sought to change the world
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Edward House was a Texan determined to move the world when the world refused to be moved. He was a powerful diplomat and presidential advisor and a…
Jay Gould put Texas on path to 20th Century
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer The late 1800s was the age of the railroad. Trains steamed across the hills, valleys, and plains of a growing United States, steadily bringing distant communities closer…
Texan Fess Parker embodied the roles he played
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer The 1950s and 1960s introduced Americans to television and riveted audiences with tales of the frontier. One of the most noted actors of the era was Texan…
Santa Anna’s legacy unsure in Mexican history
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer The career of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna brought him to the height of power in Mexican politics, serving as president on eleven different occasions though he…
Santa Anna’s attitude defines his governance
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer In 1836, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the president and general who dominated the political scene in Mexico, rose into Texas with his army, with destruction on…
The Original Maverick
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Samuel Augustus Maverick came to Texas with a dream of making a fortune in land sales. In the process, he became one of the most memorable characters…
Once infamous, Howard Hughes was born in Houston
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Howard Hughes was a man who once commanded the world’s attention, sometimes for all the wrong reasons. His story is one of wealth, power, fame, and the…
Robert Lee Thorton left his mark on the City of Dallas
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Sometimes the men dismissed for their failures early in life can become the greatest successes. The story of R. L. Thornton is the story of a man…