1912 Houston Bar Association Bench & Bar Composite

Come see the latest addition to our library walls, an historic photograph composite from 1912 of leading members of Houston’s legal community. Seven of the featured portraits depict founders of the Harris County Law Library. On your next visit here, challenge yourself to spot them all.

Today, Houston is proud to be the most diverse city in the United States, and is defined by its rich and unique blend of cultures, both in our legal community and our population at large. While the 1912 Houston Bench and Bar was noticeably less diverse, the composite itself heralds change and hints and our city’s future as it includes portraits of two women, Hortense Ward and Alice S. Tiernan. Ward was the first woman licensed to practice law in Texas. Tiernan passed the bar shortly thereafter, and became one of the fewer than 1% of women trial attorneys nationwide.

Hurricane Harvey Recovery Resources

On this day in 2017, Harris County was still reeling from the devastation caused by the worst flooding event in U.S. history. A year later, Hurricane Harvey's toll is still being felt throughout our community. That is why the Harris County Law Library remains committed to connecting those impacted with relevant information about resources and services to help with recovery. Visit our Harvey Recovery Resources page or visit our downtown Houston location to find information on legal helplines, referral services, and clinics that can help with the legal aspects of the recovery process.

Celebrating San Jacinto Day

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Today is San Jacinto Day! We, along with many others across the state, turn our thoughts to the final battle of the Texas Revolution that took place on April 21, 1836. The victory paved the way for a new government to form under the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas and the rest is legal research.

To celebrate the day, we're offering a #shelfie opportunity the week of April 23 at the Harris County Law Library. Grab your phone and take a #shelfie in front of our monographic replica of the San Jacinto Monument. Be sure to post it to Twitter and tag it #SanJacintheStacks!

Fighting Hate Crimes and Bias in Texas - a free CLE event

Register for this free CLE opportunity today at www.harriscountylawlibrary.org/tendollars

The fight against violence and bigotry is of perennial concern in American Jurisprudence. Ten Dollars to Hate by Patricia Bernstein brings the story of one such fight from the 1920s into our modern consciousness. The book tells the story of Texas prosecutor Dan Moody, whose efforts against the Ku Klux Klan led to the nation's first successful prosecution of the well-connected group for their violent assaults and criminal acts. Moody's lead was followed around the country, loosening the supremacist group's grip on American politics.

Ms. Bernstein will present her research alongside a panel of attorneys who fight hate and bias everyday at a free CLE event on September 8. The event is cosponsored by the Offices of Vince Ryan, Harris County Attorney, and Kim Ogg, Harris County District Attorney, and is accredited for both CLE (3.0 hours in Texas; 0.5 hour ethics) and TCOLE credit. Register today at www.harriscountylawlibrary.org/tendollars.

Happy San Jacinto Day, Texas!

Happy San Jacinto Day, Texas! Today marks the 181st anniversary of the final battle for Texas independence that took place in modern day Harris County between the forces of General Sam Houston and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana. The victory left a lasting impression locally and even inspires the centerpiece of the seal of the Harris County Attorney's Office. For more on the battle and how it influenced the design of the Law Library's parent organization's seal, see our Ex Libris Juris post commemorating the 180th San Jacinto Day.