Dolph Briscoe Jr. (1923–2010) was a Texas rancher, businessman, and politician who served as the 41st governor of Texas from 1973 to 1979. A Democrat, Briscoe was both the last governor to serve a two-year term and the first to serve a four-year term following a constitutional amendment. Born in Uvalde, Texas, he grew up in a prominent family, descending from Texas Declaration of Independence signer Andrew Briscoe.
Briscoe began his political career in 1948, serving in the Texas House of Representatives until 1957. He gained recognition for his co-authorship of the Colson-Briscoe Act, which funded Texas’s farm-to-market road system. In 1972, following the Sharpstown scandal, Briscoe was elected governor, focusing on restoring trust in state government.
During his two terms, Briscoe presided over significant reforms, including ethics and financial disclosure laws, the Open Meetings and Open Records Acts, and the revision of the state’s penal code. He expanded education funding, raised state employee salaries, and improved services for disabled Texans. He was also the first Texas governor to appoint African Americans to state boards and the judiciary.
After leaving office, Briscoe returned to ranching and banking. He was a generous philanthropist, supporting Texas cultural and educational institutions, including the University of Texas and the Witte Museum. Briscoe passed away in 2010 at age 87. His legacy endures through institutions such as the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, which preserves his gubernatorial records and family business documents.
