(March 8, 2008)--Frances "Sissy" Farenthold spent years as a "first" or as a women's pioneer in a number of roles: In law school, in the Texas House of Representatives, as head of a women's college, a candidate for governor and a serious contender for the vice presidential nomination.
On Saturday, she'll be the first to be awarded a lifetime achievement honor by the American Civil Liberties Union in Texas.
The award is named for sharp-witted syndicated columnist Molly Ivins, who died last year.
The award is being given at the ACLU of Texas' 70th anniversary gala in San Antonio.
Now 81, Farenthold was elected as state representative from Corpus Christi in 1968 as the only woman in the Texas House at the time.
She ran for governor in 1972, making the runoff, and ran again unsuccessfully in 1974.
She rose to became a national figure in 1972 when she was nominated for vice president at the Democratic National Convention.
She garnered 420 votes before withdrawing in favor of U.S. Sen. Thomas Eagleton, who then ran with George McGovern.
She went on to work as the president of Wells College in New York, one of the nation's oldest women's liberal arts colleges.
She became a well-known activist on the equal rights amendment, civil rights, abortion rights and environmental protection.
She was chairwoman of the Rothko Chapel in Houston until last year.
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