Noted Texas journalist Hugh Fitzgerald dies

89 years ago on May 6th, 1936

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On this day in 1936, journalist Hugh Nugent Fitzgerald died in Austin. The South Carolina native moved to Texas in 1889, where he began newspaper work, first as a sports writer and later as a political commentator. He became managing editor and staff correspondent on the Dallas Morning News, with which he was associated for fourteen years. In the early 1900s he was employed as editor of the Dallas Times Herald for ten years. He later edited the Fort Worth Record and was owner, publisher, and editor of the Wichita Falls Record News, before he joined the Marsh-Fentress interests and established his home in Austin in 1921; there he was chief editorial writer for the Austin American, the Austin Statesman, and allied newspapers for more than ten years.

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Texas on this Day: 500 Years of History

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As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, Texans have a unique opportunity to reflect on the state’s role in the American story. Through exhibitions, programs, educational initiatives, and community events across Texas, Texas America250 encourages celebration, reflection, and commemoration at both local and statewide levels. At the Texas State Historical Association, we are proud to support this important moment through our mission-driven work in history education and public engagement, including Texas History Day, and we invite students, educators, and communities to explore this milestone in meaningful ways.

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Commemorating 250 years of American independence through the stories, people, and places that shaped Texas and the nation.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, Texans have a unique opportunity to reflect on the state’s role in the American story. Through exhibitions, programs, educational initiatives, and community events across Texas, Texas America250 encourages celebration, reflection, and commemoration at both local and statewide levels. At the Texas State Historical Association, we are proud to support this important moment through our mission-driven work in history education and public engagement, including Texas History Day, and we invite students, educators, and communities to explore this milestone in meaningful ways.

On July 4, 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the greatest nation in the history of the world. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Long may these ideals live in the heart of every Texan and every American. May God bless all who have defended our freedoms that we enjoy each day. And God bless the United States of America.

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