Irma Rangel

Overview

(Source: 2nd Grade Bio Cards)

Irma Lerma Rangel was born in Kingsville, Texas. Even when she was young, she realized that education and hard work were very important. She wanted to make life better for Mexican Americans in Texas. Rangel graduated from college and became a teacher. After teaching in in South Texas, Venezuela and California, she decided to become a lawyer. She graduated from St. Mary's School of Law in San Antonio in 1969, a time when it was unusual for Hispanic women to earn a college degree. She had a successful law practice in her hometown of Kingsville until 1993. In 1976, Rangel became the first Mexican American woman elected in the Texas House of Representatives, an office she held for 26 years. The Texas laws that she helped to develop emphasized education and opportunities for men and women of all races.