Black History Month: With 50 years under her belt, Texas Rep. Synfronia Thompson becomes the longest-serving state legislator in the statehouse

Houston, Texas (KTRK) – The state legislature is in session, working on various issues. While you may know some faces in Austin, like the governor and lieutenant governor, there is one legislator you may not have known for a long time.

“My first thought when I was there 50 years ago, was that I was someone who wasn’t allowed on the basis of my race just a few years ago. And I was in awe of the fact that I had a chance to go and serve in the legislature,” recalls Rep. Synvronia Thompson, a Democrat. from Houston. “When we came in, in 1973, women couldn’t get a credit card in their name. I didn’t care how much money they had, they couldn’t even buy property in their name. Everything had to be done through a man.”

But one male lawmaker was discovered to have crossed the line when he called Thompson his “black mistress.” She was furious and took the rare personal privilege of stating what she called his disrespect for women.

“I couldn’t understand why he’d do that,” she said, acknowledging that it had cost her dearly. “It cost me my legislature. It cost me a lot of friendships I might have had, but I earned my dignity.”

Lady T, as she is affectionately called, is known for this dignity and her ability to communicate between different aspects.

“In many ways, she is the conscience of the Texas legislature,” said former senator and current Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who has worked with Thompson for more than two decades. “No matter if someone is right or left, Democrat or Republican, they are the one common thread that people turn to when it comes to issues that tend to divide people.”

She is also known to fight back when she thinks something isn’t right. Thompson joined Democratic lawmakers who left the state during the 2021 session, concerned about changes to the state’s voting laws. I ran into Melanie Lawson from Eyewitness News in DC

“This fight is very important for my constituents to have a voice in democracy,” Thompson said then.

Now, as you remember that time, she said, “We couldn’t do anything because we were outnumbered. But we had to take a stand. And a lot of our colleagues were very frustrated with us, but I also realized a lot of them never stood up for me. And they were never denied my The right to vote. And they never fought for the right to vote.”

A mural of Thompson’s eyes and scales of justice now downtown overlooks the town she loves, commissioned by Ellis, her old friend.

“I was very surprised by this. But it made me feel good because it represented justice,” she said.

“She and I legalized hate crimes,” Ellis said.

The James Beard Act, named after a black man who was dragged to his death by three white supremacists in Jasper, took 10 years to pass. But he said it was responsible for building a broad, bipartisan coalition.

Thompson is also known for reaching across the aisle, working with some of her more conservative colleagues.

“We argue and disagree about things, but I try to stick to the issues. I don’t take it personally,” she said.

She says she still has a lot to do.

“I think even though I’m 84, I still have time on my side,” said Thompson.

When asked, “Do you think you’ll stay longer?” Without missing a beat, Thompson said, “Sure. What would the legislator do without me?”

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