Dr. Martha Jee Wong, born Martha Jee, (born January 20, 1939)"Distinguished HISD Alumni ." Houston Independent School District. is a Texas politician who was the first Asian American woman to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives, representing Houston's District 134. She served from 2002 to 2006 as a Republican. Moreover, she was the first Asian American woman part of Texas Spirits, an honorary spirit, service, and social organization on the campus of University of Texas at Austin. Texas Spirits is the oldest spirit organization at the University of Texas, founded in 1941.
History Wong was born at St. Joseph Hospital in January 1939."" (). Houston Public Library. Retrieved on August 18, 2015.
Wong lived in the Houston Heights, initially within her parents' grocery business and later."Wong, Martha Wong transcript, 2 of 2" (PDF file). University of Houston. p. 1-3. Retrieved on August 18, 2015. She attended Hogg Junior High School,"Wong, Martha Wong transcript, 2 of 2" (PDF file). University of Houston. p. 5. Retrieved on August 18, 2015. and then Reagan High School (now Heights High School) in Houston. In 1993, she became the Houston City Council's first elected Asian American Councilwoman, and was elected to three successive terms. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas and both a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Houston.
Controversy
In 2020, Wong was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott as the Chairwoman of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. In 2023, she made the decision as Chair for the State of Texas to leave its membership with the American Library Association after political pressure from Republican lawmaker Brian Harrison following the election of Emily Drabinski as the President of the American Library Association.
See also
Gordon Quan History of the Chinese Americans in Houston
References
External links Wong, Martha and Louis Marciafava. Martha Wong Oral History, Houston Oral History Project. Audio Audio Part 1 Audio Part 2 Uncorrected Transcript part 1 () - June 18, 2008 Oral Histories from the Houston History Project - Wong, Martha - Interviewed by Uzma Quraishi, transcribed by Suzanne Mascola. January 23, 2007 Transcript of interview () Transcript Index () Audio Part 1 () Audio Part 2 () Audio Part 3 () Staff. "Campaign Notebook." Houston Chronicle. Saturday January 11, 1997. A30.