TRAILBLAZER IN TEXAS POLITICS

By: Sharon C. Jenkins Senfronia  Thompson is a name that resonates with the echoes of history and the relentless pursuit of justice and equality. Growing up in Houston,  ompson’s journey from a college student at Texas Southern University to a revered state representative is a testament to her enduring commitment to civil rights and social justice. Her experiences during the turbulent times of segregation and the civil rights movement have profoundly shaped her career and life. Early Life and Education  ompson’s formative years were marked by the harsh realities of segregation. As a college student at Texas Southern University, she was thrust into the forefront of the civil rights movement.  e pivotal moment that ignited her lifelong activism was her participation in a sit-in at a segregated drugstore. She recalls, “During those days, everything was segregated. & I had the opportunity to participate in the sit-in strikes, where we would occupy places that served food, knowing they wouldn’t serve us. We just sat there, occupying the seats so they couldn’t serve anyone else.” One particular incident stands out vividly in her memory.  Thompson and other students faced a life-threatening situation when a white man brandishing a double-barrel shotgun threatened to...