Judge Hilda Tagle Collection to open at TWU

Archive spans five decades, chronicles journey of Texas’ first Latina federal jurist

Sept. 16, 2025 ― DENTON ― She was raised by migrant farmworkers and later became Texas’ first Mexican American federal judge, highlighting a five-decades-long career in civic engagement. Now, a comprehensive collection of documents and other materials chronicling the exceptional career of Judge Hilda Gloria Tagle will open to the public at Texas Woman’s University.

The Judge Hilda Tagle Collection will officially open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. Oct. 1 inside the Special Collections room of TWU’s Blagg-Huey Library on the university’s Denton campus.

The archive offers an unprecedented look into Tagle’s life and career, which represents one of the most inspiring stories in Texas legal history. The materials document her civic and professional activities spanning from the 1970s through today, including her historic judicial career, community engagement and civic leadership.

“This collection tells the extraordinary story of a woman who shattered barriers while never forgetting her roots or her responsibility to lift others up,” said Kimberly Johnson, senior assistant dean of Special Collections. “Judge Tagle’s papers showcase her unwavering dedication to justice, literacy and women’s empowerment ― and celebrate Hispanic heritage. This archive will serve as an invaluable resource for researchers, students and anyone inspired by stories of perseverance and achievement.”

The collection includes more than 14,000 documents, including extensive correspondence, organizational files and campaign materials from her judicial races. Other unique items include her sixth-grade report card and Senate confirmation briefing materials, which provide intimate glimpses into her educational journey and rise to federal judicial service. The collection also features an oral history from 1997-1998 and audio-visual materials including campaign commercials and articles about her advocacy work.

A significant portion of the archive documents Tagle’s speaking engagements at schools, churches and professional organizations. Her speeches consistently promoted literacy, encouraged women to pursue leadership positions and celebrated Hispanic heritage.

Born Dec. 18, 1946, in Corpus Christi to parents Manuel and Dolores Tagle, she overcame significant economic hardship while growing up in nearby Robstown. Her passion for learning led her to travel by bus to libraries to feed her intellectual curiosity. She earned degrees from Del Mar College (1967), East Texas A&M University (1969), the University of North Texas (1971), and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law (1977).

Tagle’s career was marked by historic firsts. She became the first Mexican American female judge in Nueces County in 1985 and the first Mexican American female county court-at-law judge in Texas. Her most significant achievement came in 1998 when President Bill Clinton appointed her as the first Mexican American woman federal judge in Texas, serving on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

For her part, Tagle said a pair of factors ― nearly 30 years apart ― inspired and solidified her decision to archive her materials to Texas Woman’s University. She recalled a conversation in 1991 with former TWU librarian Elizabeth Knapp, who conveyed to her that students lamented the lack of Mexican American figures in the Special Collections.

This prompted Tagle years later to offer her collection to the university.

Then, not long after the 2017 death of the mother of a fellow federal judge and a prosecutor assigned to her court, Tagle learned the woman, Maria Eudelia Martinez Morales ― a celebrated educator at Texas A&M University-Kingsville ― had earned her bachelor’s degree at Texas Woman’s in 1960.

She described the coincidence as “cosmic,” then reflected on her decision this way:

“It could be that something I did during my career might be important to someone,” Tagle began. “And maybe that someone will gain strength from it ― and go on to do something great in their life.”

Page last updated 3:10 PM, September 30, 2025