El Franco Lee
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1949|01|30}}
| birth_place = Houston, Texas, US
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|01|03|1949|01|30}}
| death_place = Houston, Texas, US
| education = Texas Southern University (BS)
| order =
| party = Democratic
| prior_term = 88th district (1979–1983)
| term_start = January 9, 1979
| predecessor = Mickey Leland
| successor = Harold Dutton Jr.
| term_end = January 8, 1985
| state_house = Texas
| district = 142nd
| office2 = Harris County Commissioner from Precinct 1
| termstart2 = January 1, 1985
| termend2 = January 3, 2016
| preceded2 = Tom Bass
| succeeded2 = Rodney Ellis
| parents = Selma Lee
Robert Lee
}}
El Franco Lee (January{{nbsp}}30, 1949{{snd}}January{{nbsp}}3, 2016) was an American politician who served as a Harris County commissioner from 1985 to his death in 2016. Before becoming a county commissioner, he served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1979 to 1985.
Early life
Lee was born in Houston, Texas, on January 30, 1949, to Robert and Selma Lee. He had one younger sibling and three older siblings.{{cite web |last1=Cain |first1=Adrienne A. |title=Lee, El Franco |url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/lee-el-franco |website=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=December 4, 2020}} After graduating from Phillis Wheatley High School, Lee earned a Bachelor of Science from Texas Southern University.{{cite web |title=About Commissioner El Franco Lee |url=http://hcp1.net/GeneralInformation/ElFrancoLee.aspx |website=Harris County Precinct 1 |access-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023030946/http://hcp1.net/GeneralInformation/ElFrancoLee.aspx |archive-date=October 23, 2015 |date=October 23, 2015 |url-status=dead}}
Career
=Texas House of Representatives=
Lee ran for office in the 88th district of the Texas House of Representatives in 1978. The 88th district was being vacated by Mickey Leland, under whom Lee served as an aide for six years.{{cite news |last1=Barlow |first1=Jim |title=6 Dist. 88 candidates counting on person-to-person campaigns |work=Houston Chronicle |date=April 19, 1978 |page=10|via=NewsBank}} Lee, who was endorsed by the United Steelworkers,{{cite news |via=NewsBank|last1=Kling |first1=John |title=United Steelworkers' backing goes to Leland |work=Houston Chronicle |date=March 31, 1978 |page=5}} was initially disqualified from the ballot due to having an insufficient number of verifiable signatures for his nominating petition.{{cite news |title=3 Democratic candidates are out of the primary |work=Houston Chronicle |date=March 16, 1978 |page=2|via=NewsBank}} After a ruling by district judge Jim Wallace, Lee was allowed to remain on the ballot after paying a $400 fee.{{cite news|via=NewsBank |title=Judge says ballot may include Lee |work=Houston Chronicle |date=March 30, 1978 |page=2}} He defeated Norma Watson in the Democratic primary after a runoff election.{{cite news |title=Results Of Contested State Legislature Races |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64559893/longview-news-journal/ |access-date=December 4, 2020 |work=Longview News-Journal |agency=Associated Press |date=May 8, 1978 |page=21|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Lee |title=Vale, Short capture nominations |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64561249/austin-american-statesman/ |access-date=December 4, 2020 |work=Austin American-Statesman |agency=Associated Press |date=June 4, 1978 |page=5|via=Newspapers.com}} Lee, who was running unopposed, won the general election in November.{{cite news |last1=Moran |first1=Tom |title=Runoff will determine 2 Dem nominees for state representative |work=Houston Chronicle |date=May 8, 1978 |via=NewsBank|page=14}}{{cite news |title=Texas Senate, House Winners |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/-other-clipping-nov-08-1978-2101033/ |access-date=December 4, 2020 |work=The Brownsville Herald |agency=Associated Press |date=November 8, 1978|via=NewspaperArchive |page=48}}
During his tenure as a state legislator, Lee served on the Business and Industry, Intergovernmental Affairs, Ways and Means, Environmental Affairs, and Elections committees.{{cite web |title=El Franco Lee |url=https://lrl.texas.gov/legeleaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=476 |website=Legislative Reference Library of Texas |access-date=December 4, 2020}}
=Harris County Commissioner=
In January 1984, Lee announced he would not seek re-election to the Texas House and instead seek the position of Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 1.{{cite news |title=State Rep. El Franco Lee files in Commissioners Court race |work=Houston Chronicle |date=January 18, 1984 |page=13|via=NewsBank}} Lee's primary challengers included Carl Walker Jr. and Sylvester Turner.{{cite news |last1=Foxhall |first1=Nene |title=Open races draw crowded fields in Dem, GOP primaries |work=Houston Chronicle |date=May 7, 1984 |page=8|via=NewsBank}} Lee defeated Walker after a runoff election. Because the Republican Republican Party did not field any candidates for the position, Lee's victory in the runoff ensured him of the post. As a result, Lee became the first African-American member of Harris County's governing body.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Gordon |title=Lee wins commissioner's seat |work=Houston Chronicle |date=June 3, 1984 |page=30|via=NewsBank}}
Lee served in this position for over 30 years until his death in 2016.{{cite web |last1=Zaveri |first1=Mihir |title=El Franco Lee |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/El-Franco-Lee-10818691.php |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=December 4, 2020 |date=December 23, 2016}}
Death
Lee died of a myocardial infarction on January 3, 2016, at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, in Houston, Texas.{{cite web |last1=Martinez |first1=Jonathan |last2=Green |first2=Alex |title=Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee dies |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2016/01/03/harris-county-commissioner-el-franco-lee-dies/ |website=KPRC |access-date=December 3, 2020 |language=en |date=January 3, 2016}}{{cite web |title=Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee dies of heart attack |url=https://abc13.com/el-franco-lee-dead-harris-county-commissioner-dies/1144628/ |website=ABC13 Houston |access-date=December 3, 2020 |language=en |date=January 4, 2016}}
Legacy
In 1990, the local communities around Hall Road Park in Houston successfully petitioned to rename the park as El Franco Lee Park.{{cite web |title=El Franco Lee Park |url=https://www.hcp1.net/Parks/ElFrancoLee |website=Harris County Precinct 1 |access-date=December 4, 2020}} In May 2009, the Harris County Hospital District opened the El Franco Lee Health Center in Alief, Houston.{{cite web |last1=Baltimore |first1=Chris |title=Healthcare reform looms large in Texas |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-texas/healthcare-reform-looms-large-in-texas-idUSTRE56U01F20090731 |website=Reuters |access-date=December 4, 2020 |language=en |date=July 30, 2009}}{{cite web |last1=Ackerman |first1=Todd |title=Harris County faces tough sell in hospital purchase |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Harris-County-faces-tough-sell-in-hospital-1720089.php |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=December 4, 2020 |date=August 23, 2009}}
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References
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Category:Texas Southern University alumni
Category:Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives
Category:African-American state legislators in Texas
Category:County commissioners in Texas
Category:Politicians from Houston
Category:20th-century African-American politicians