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Timeline of Jim Wright's life and career
- December 22, 1922 - Born in Fort Worth, Texas
- 1939 - Graduated Adamson High School, Dallas 1939
- 1930-1940 - Attended Weatherford College
- 1940-1941 - Attended the University of Texas,
- 1941 - Enlisted in Army Air Force (Box 1214)
- 1942 - Married Mary “Mab” Lemon, they would go on to have five children together.
- 1947-1949 - Elected to Texas House of Representatives
- 1950-1954 - Mayor of Weatherford
- 1955 - Elected to U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 3, 1955. Served until June 30, 1989.
- 1961 - Ran for United States Senate in the Special Election, placing 4th in a field of 70 candidates in the election that eventually was won by John Tower (R).
- November 22, 1963 - Was with President Kennedy in Fort Worth and the motorcade in Dallas when he was assassinated.
- 1966 - Authored The Coming Water Famine
- 1968 - Signed Nixon peace treaty (Photo in Box 1217)
- 1972- Married Betty Hays
- 1976-1986 - House Majority Leader
- 1984 - Authored book Reflections of a Public Man
- 1987-1989 - Elected Speaker of the House (photo in 1217)
- He had a column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for 10 years.
- 1988 - Democratic National Convention chair (photo in Box 1220 (oversize))
- 1987 - Delivers a television address to the Russian people while leading a congressional delegation to the Soviet Union. (Photos in oversize Box 1220. Accession 2017, Box 42 )
- June 31, 1989 - Resigned as Speaker of the House (photo in Box 1218)
- 1989 - Texas Christian University received papers and artifacts spanning his career
- 1993 - Authored book Worth it All
- 1996 - Authored book Balance of Power: Presidents and Congress from the era of McCarthy to the Age of Gingrich
- 2005 - Authored book The Flying Circus: Pacific War-1943
- 2001-2015 Hosted the annual Jim Wright Symposium, held at Texas Christian University
- 1990-2009 - Taught political science course “Congress and the Presidents” at Texas Christian University
- 2013 - Received the High Impact Legacy Award at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce for the 50th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s last visit to the city
- 2014 - Received the “Golden Deeds” award from the National Exchange Club
- May 6, 2015 - Died in Fort Worth.
- 2016 - Mr. Wright’s family donates seven handwritten journals, spanning 1971-1991 (not inclusive) from his family to Texas Christian University’s Special Collections department.
- 2016 - Permanent exhibit on 3rd floor of Special Collections, Mary Couts Burnett Library established after library renovations
