06/22/2026
In Memoriam: George Norris Green, 1939-2026
The Center for Greater Southwestern Studies is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of historian George Norris Green. Joining the UTA faculty in 1966, George served as a Center Fellow from 1991 until his retirement in 2011.
Receiving his PhD from Florida State University in 1966, George was one of the state’s foremost authorities on labor and economic history. During the course of a career spanning 45 years, George authored more than 25 scholarly articles, various essays, and multiple books, including The Establishment in Texas Politics: The Primitive Years (Praeger, 1979). He was also a historian of the metroplex, authoring books on the Hurst Euless Bedford area, and Richland Hills.
In 2003 the Texas State Historical Association bestowed upon George its highest honor, naming him as its president for 2003-04. His presidential address, "The Texas Labor Movement, 1870–1920," was subsequently published by the Southwestern Historical Quarterly.
One of George's proudest achievements was his role spearheading the creation of the UTA Special Collection’s Texas Labor Archives, which has grown to become a nationally recognized research resource documenting the experiences of working Texans and the organizations that represented them. Dr. Green spent decades traveling across the state, meeting with labor leaders and union officials, building relationships that would help grow the collection and ensure that future researchers would have access to these important historical materials. The collection includes organizational records, photographs, publications, correspondence and oral histories that preserve firsthand accounts of workers and labor advocates whose stories might otherwise have been lost. Through these materials, researchers can examine the experiences of workers, the development of labor movements and the relationship between labor and the political, economic and social history of Texas.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the archive in 2017, UTA Special Collections presented an exhibit curated by Dr, Green, titled “Walking the Line: The Diverse History of Organized Labor in Texas.” In conjunction with the exhibit, the Center for Greater Southwestern Studies hosted the George Green Labor History Awards, recognizing four UTA students doing research in the field.
A memorial service will be held on July 25 at 10:00 am at Wade Funeral Home, located at 4140 Pioneer Parkway Arlington, Texas 76013. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Schieffer Endowment at the UTA Library in his memory.
