Eddie Bernice Johnson

Full Name: Eddie Bernice Johnson
Date of birth: December 3, 1934
Date of death: December 31, 2023

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information
Legislation

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Counties in District
S	23	Jan 8, 1991 - Jan 12, 1993	72nd ⁽¹⁾	Democrat	Dallas / Dallas	Dallas, Tarrant
S	23	Jan 13, 1987 - Jan 8, 1991	70th 71st	Democrat	Dallas / Dallas	Dallas, Tarrant
H	33-O	Jan 11, 1977 - Sep 30, 1977	65th ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾	Democrat	Dallas / Dallas	Dallas
H	33-O	Jan 14, 1975 - Jan 11, 1977	64th	Democrat	Dallas / Dallas	Dallas
H	33-O	Jan 9, 1973 - Jan 14, 1975	63rd	Democrat	Dallas / Dallas	Dallas

(1) 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.
(2) Johnson resignation letter dated 9/26/1977, effective 9/30/1977. Texas House of Representatives, Chief Clerk's Office.
(3) 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.
(4) 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.
(5) Special election 11/8/1977, runoff 11/29/1977. Texas Secretary of State - Election Dates Including Special Elections, 1966-2001.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 23
Jan 8, 1991 - Jan 12, 1993
Legislatures: 72nd ⁽¹⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Dallas / Dallas
Counties in district: Dallas, Tarrant

Senate District 23
Jan 13, 1987 - Jan 8, 1991
Legislatures: 70th 71st
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Dallas / Dallas
Counties in district: Dallas, Tarrant

House District 33-O
Jan 11, 1977 - Sep 30, 1977
Legislatures: 65th ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Dallas / Dallas
Counties in district: Dallas

House District 33-O
Jan 14, 1975 - Jan 11, 1977
Legislatures: 64th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Dallas / Dallas
Counties in district: Dallas

House District 33-O
Jan 9, 1973 - Jan 14, 1975
Legislatures: 63rd
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Dallas / Dallas
Counties in district: Dallas

Biographical Information top

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.
71st Legislature, 2nd C.S., SR 102. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
72nd Legislature, 4th C.S., SR 8. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
82nd Legislature, R.S., HR 654. 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., HR 2308. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
88th Legislature, R.S., SR 39. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.

Biographical Sketches

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.
Oral history interviews available in Oral History Collection, University of North Texas.
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.
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.

Other Resources

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.
Autobiography in LRL collection, 973.92 J66D 2024. Desire to Serve: The Autobiography of Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, 2024.
Photo, mentioned in Minority Civil Rights and the Texas Legislature, 2018.
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.
Johnson, Eddie Bernice. Texas State Cemetery.

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, 72nd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, 71st Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, 70th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, 65th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Eddie Bernice Johnson, 64th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson, 63rd Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

70th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
71st session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
72nd session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, north wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
63rd session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
64th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
65th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.L1). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

72nd R.S. - 1991 Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Special, Subcommittee on Congressional Districts (Chair) Education Finance Health and Human Services Health and Human Services Subcommittee on Health Services Nominations, Special
71st R.S. - 1989 Bishop College, Special Advisory (Chair) Committee of the Whole Senate Creation and Expansion of Minority and Women-Owned Business Ownership Opportunities, Special Advisory (Chair) Education Education Subcommittee on School Dropouts Finance Health and Human Services Legislative Redistricting, Select Public Education, Select State and Local Drug Control, Task Force on
70th R.S. - 1987 Affordable Housing, Task Force on Committee of the Whole Senate Education Health and Human Services Health Care Reimbursement Alternatives, Commission on Intergovernmental Relations Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee on Urban Affairs
65th R.S. - 1977 Constitutional Amendments Labor (Chair)
64th R.S. - 1975 Drug Abuse Education, Interim Labor (Chair) Social Services Social Services Subcommittee on Correctional Institutions
63rd R.S. - 1973 Calendars Constitutional Convention Planning Human Resources Human Resources Subcommittee on Mental Health and Mental Retardation Human Resources Subcommittee on Public Health Prairie View A&M College Administration, Investigation, Special Prison Reform Reorganization and Modernization of Public Education (Committee of 24) Subcommittee on Public School Finance, Interim Reorganization and Modernization of Public Education (Committee of 24), Interim State Affairs State Affairs Subcommittee on Law Enforcement Education, Training and Standards (Chair)

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.