Heroines of Huntsville
Anna Pennybacker was a graduate of the inaugural class of the Sam Houston Normal Institute in Huntsville. She was a trailblazer in Texas education, accomplished author, suffragette and pacifist. Pennybacker and her husband wrote and published A New History of Texas in 1888. This became the standard book for teaching Texas history for the next forty years. After his death in 1899, she continued to run their publishing company. She was a strong advocate for women’s voting rights and helped in the creation of many libraries in early Texas. In her political work, she developed a strong relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt. Their work together for the advancement of women and progressive reforms led Eleanor Roosevelt to be the first and only First Lady of the United States to speak at Sam Houston State University. Through her textbook legacy, Anna Pennybacker set the foundation of Texas history for generations of Texans and a framework for the rights of Texas women.
Jaspyr Sanford attended school at Samuel W. Houston High School and graduated in 1950. Sanford had a strong understanding of the importance of education for all people. After graduation she attended Bishop College. She lived throughout the United States and held a front row seat on many campuses during the years of integration. Sanford attended graduate school at the University of Denver. Her return to Huntsville was a result of her receiving a faculty position at Sam Houston State University as a librarian. According to an interview with Mrs. Sanford this was around the time SHSU was integrated. Sanford was selected for her experience and talent in her profession. Her professionalism helped open doors to women of color in higher education as she served as the first black faculty member at Sam Houston State. Jaspyr Sanford serves as a member of the National Alumni Association of Sam Houston High School and has played a role in the development of the Samuel Walker Houston Cultural Center.
Minnie Fisher Cunningham was an advocate for women’s voting rights born near New Waverly, Texas. She became one of the first women to receive a degree in pharmacy from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. While working as a pharmacist in Huntsville, inequity in pay led to her advocacy of women’s rights. She became a leader in Texas and United States politics in the early 1900’s. Cunningham helped organize the National League of Women Voters in 1920. She became the first woman in the state to run for a U.S. Senate position. She became a strong supporter of FDR’s New Deal. As a Democratic activist, she played a role in progressive policies. This strong Texas woman also played a pivotal role in founding the Texas Observer.