Editing Annette Strauss

{{short description|American politician from Texas}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2011}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name          = Annette Strauss
|image         = File:Annette_Greenfield_Strauss_(1924-1998),_55th_Mayor_of_Dallas,_Texas.jpg
|office        = 54th [[Mayor of Dallas]]
|term_start    = May 4, 1987
|term_end      = December 2, 1991<ref>{{cite web|url= https://dallascityhall.com/government/citysecretary/archives/Pages/Archives_1992-028.aspx|title=Inaugural Speech of Mayor Steve Bartlett and Farewell Address of Mayor Annette Strauss, 1991|access-date=December 30, 2023|website=dallascityhall.com}}</ref>
|predecessor   = [[Starke Taylor]]
|successor     = [[Steve Bartlett]]
|birth_name    = Annette Louise Greenfield
|birth_date    = {{birth date|1924|01|26}}
|birth_place   = [[Houston]], [[Texas]], U.S.
|death_date    = {{death date and age|1998|12|14|1924|1|26}}
|resting_place = [[Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery]]
|alma_mater    = [[University of Texas at Austin]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.utexas.edu/2010/09/20/annette-strauss-institute-for-civic-participation-marks-a-decade-of-creating-more-voters-better-citizens/|title=Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Participation Marks a Decade of Creating More Voters, Better Citizens|date=September 20, 2010|access-date=January 1, 2024|website=UT News}}</ref><br />[[Columbia University]]
|spouse        = Ted Strauss
|relations     = [[Robert S. Strauss]] (brother-in-law)
}}

'''Annette Louise Greenfield Strauss''' (January 26, 1924 – December 14, 1998) was an American philanthropist and politician who served as the 54th mayor of [[Dallas]]. The [[Annette Strauss Artist Square]] in the [[Arts District, Dallas, Texas|Arts District]] of [[downtown Dallas]], [[Texas]] is named in honor of her. She was the second female mayor and the second [[Jew]]ish mayor of Dallas ([[Adlene Harrison]] was first; [[Laura Miller (politician)|Laura Miller]] was the third).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306119,00.html |title=Romney Falling Victim to Voters' Religious Discrimination {{pipe}} Fox News |website=[[Fox News]] |access-date=2009-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403055011/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306119,00.html |archive-date=2013-04-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was also the first woman elected to the post in her own right; Harrison served as a caretaker for the last months of [[Wes Wise]]'s term after Wise resigned to run for Congress. 

== Life ==
Born in [[Houston, Texas]], Annette Strauss graduated from the [[University of Texas at Austin]] in 1944. She moved to [[New York City]] where she received master's degrees in [[sociology]] and [[psychology]] from [[Columbia University]]. She was a member of [[Phi Beta Kappa]] honor society and [[Alpha Epsilon Phi]] sorority. She worked as a [[Red Cross]] social worker in Houston for a year until she married Ted Strauss, Sr. Managing Director of [[Bear Stearns]], in 1946 and moved to Dallas in 1947.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Strauss worked tirelessly as a fundraiser for various charities and organizations and also as a volunteer for a number of other organizations. She worked on behalf of the [[Dallas Symphony]], the Crystal Charity Ball, [[Southern Methodist University]], the [[United Way of America]], the United Jewish Appeal, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, [[Baylor University]] Medical Center and many other groups. Her efforts helped to raise millions for the arts in Dallas. Strauss was also one of the founding members of the [[Volunteer Center of North Texas]].

Using her many connections in the city, Strauss was elected to a Dallas City Council seat in 1983. She became deputy mayor pro tem and then mayor pro tem in 1984. In 1987, Strauss ran for mayor of Dallas and won with 56 percent of the vote. Her opponents included the Texas Republican state chairman, Fred Meyer, a Dallas businessman originally from [[suburb]]an [[Chicago]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20120924-fred-meyer-businessman-who-helped-lead-gop-to-dominate-dallas-politics-dead-at-84.ece|title=Fred Meyer, who built Dallas and Texas GOP into dominant force, dies at age 84 |newspaper=The Dallas Morning News|author =Gromer Jeffers Jr.|author2 =Joe Simnacher|name-list-style =amp|date=September 24, 2012|access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>

During her tenure as mayor, Strauss helped to lead a city suffering from a sharp economic downturn.

While Mayor-Pro Tem, Annette spearheaded the effort to build a refuge for an increasing number of families living on the streets, victims of the collapsed Texas economy. The vision was a facility where homeless families could stay together as a family unit. A coalition of congregations responded, and [http://www.familygateway.org Family Gateway] was born. Originally named the Downtown Family Shelter, the S. St. Paul, 30-room facility was rededicated as the Annette. G. Strauss Family Gateway Center in 2000. The Center provides a private room, food and clothing for homeless families with children; coupled with the child care, educational and employment resources they need to recover from crisis and make positive choices for their future. Today, Family Gateway has grown to include transitional housing and permanent supportive housing units in the community to serve the growing number of homeless families. After 25 years Annette's original vision for [http://www.familygateway.org Family Gateway] continues today; to empower homeless families to break the cycle of homelessness and embrace a life of hope and promise.

In 1991, Strauss left the mayoral position and worked as a consultant and trustee for a number of boards and foundations, including the Children's Medical Center Foundation, the Dallas Methodist Hospitals Foundation, the St. Paul Hospital Foundation, the Timberlawn Foundation and the Texas Historical Foundation.  She was also appointed "Ambassador-at-large" for the city of Dallas, an honorary position she held until her death from [[cancer]] in 1998.  She was interred at [[Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery]]. Her husband Ted Strauss died on September 5, 2014.

==Awards==
Strauss was awarded the H. Neil Mallon Award by the [[World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth|World Affairs Council]] in 1995. The H. Neil Mallon Award, hosted by the World Affair Council of Dallas/ Fort Worth, is presented annually to individuals who have excelled at promoting the international focus of North Texas. The prestigious Mallon Award is named after the Council’s founder and is presented annually to individuals who have excelled in promoting our region’s international profile. Funds raised from this event support the World Affair Council’s public and education programming, international exchanges, and diplomatic services. 
== Legacy ==
In recognition of her many years of humanitarian service, many things have been named for Annette Strauss, including the Annette G. Strauss [http://www.familygateway.org Family Gateway Center], the [http://moody.utexas.edu/strauss Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life] at the [[University of Texas at Austin]] and also the [[Annette Strauss Artist Square]], an open-air Performing Arts area in downtown Dallas.

{{Portal|Biography|Texas|Politics|Judaism}}

==References==
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==External links==
{{S-start}}
{{S-off}}
{{succession box|
 before=[[Starke Taylor]]|
 title=[[Mayor of Dallas]]|
 after=[[Steve Bartlett]]|
 years=1987-1991
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Texas Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{Mayors of Dallas}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strauss, Annette}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:Women mayors of places in Texas]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Texas]]
[[Category:Columbia University alumni]]
[[Category:Jewish American mayors]]
[[Category:Jewish American women in politics]]
[[Category:Mayors of Dallas]]
[[Category:Politicians from Houston]]
[[Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni]]
[[Category:Burials at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery]]
[[Category:20th-century American women politicians]]
[[Category:Jewish American people in Texas politics]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:20th-century mayors of places in Texas]]