Ujamaa Community Foundation of Austin and the Black Heritage Festival Organizing Committee are proud to welcome Wilhelmina R. Delco as Facilitator of the Community Awards segment at this year’s festival.
We are grateful to Ms. Delco for a lifetime of distinguished service to the black community, the people of Austin, and the state of Texas. Ms. Delco was the first African American school board member in Travis County. In 1974 she was elected to the Texas House of Representatives as the first black legislator from District 50, Travis County. She represented the people of her district for over 20 years, serving several terms as Chairman of the House Higher Education Committee.
After retiring from the Legislature Ms. Delco served as Adjunct Professor of Education at the University of Texas.
Ms. Delco has devoted her life to the cause of education. Her civic leadership has included life membership in the Texas Congress PTA; membership in the League of Women Voters, the State Task Force on Education for Economic Growth, and the Southern Education Foundation; chairmanship of the Educational Testing Service Board; founding the nonprofit Vision Village; and chairmanship of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Equality and Integrity.
Ms. Delco has been inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, has a building named in her honor at Prairie View A&M University, has received the Legends of Texas Award, and holds honorary degrees from St. Edward’s University, Lee College, Southwestern University, Huston-Tillotson College, and Wiley College.
We are proud to have Ms. Delco as part of our festival this year.