Texas Ranger Bicentennial™
Publications Program
Information for Publishers
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco is proud to be part of the 2023 Texas Ranger Bicentennial™.
The Texas Rangers have been a popular subject for authors and publishers since the 1840s. More than 3,000 titles are currently listed as in-print on Amazon. We anticipate that many new titles, as well as reprints of classics, will soon appear.
We have created a program for academic and commercial publishers to encourage, recognize and market quality nonfiction publications about the Texas Rangers. There are no fees for participation in the program; it is intended solely to encourage and recognize work adding to the knowledge and appreciation of Texas Ranger history.
In conjunction with the anniversary, the State of Texas has trademarked a Texas Ranger Bicentennial™ seal to be awarded to accepted publications.
Accepted Publications
The program was initiated in 2017 and 17 volumes following have been accepted. Below is a sampling of books. To see the full list, please use the menu to select "Bicentennial Publications".
Alexander, Bob and Donaly E. Brice. Texas Rangers: Lives Legend and Legacy. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2017
Ivey, Darren L. The Ranger Ideal, Vols. I, II & III: Texas Rangers in the Hall of Fame. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2017, 2018 and 2020
Sadler, Charles H. III and Louis R. Harris. Texas Ranger in Transition: From Gunfighters to Criminal Investigators, 1920-1935. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2019
Alexander, Bob. Old Riot, New Ranger: Captain Jack Dean, Texas Ranger and U.S. Marshal. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2018
Ginn, Jody Edward. East Texas Troubles: The Allred Rangers’ Cleanup of San Augustine. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2019
Benefits
Upon acceptance, the publisher is granted the following privileges:
- Authorization to advertise the qualifying work as part of the Texas Ranger Bicentennial™;
- Inclusion of the State Texas Ranger Bicentennial™ seal, in color or monochrome, on cover art, bindings, boards, title pages, and any slipcase. Placement is encouraged on the title page or front board as hardcover book covers are frequently discarded. Accepted publications must incorporate the seal in the publication;
- Publicity through the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame upon release, and inclusion in the list of Texas Ranger Bicentennial™ publications on our website.
Qualifying Works
Nonfiction works of significant relevance to the history and material culture of the Texas Rangers published by established academic or commercial presses from January 2016 through December 2023.
Publishers may submit later printings of books first published after January 2016 and reprints of 'classics' published from c.1840 to c.1950.
Categories include:
- Comprehensive studies of eras, events, people, material culture (artifact and artwork) closely associated with Texas Ranger history;
- Biographies and autobiographies of individual Texas Rangers; Privately published autobiographies or ‘ghosted’ autobiographies (‘as told to’) by Texas Rangers of personal reminiscences of their service will be considered. There is an established genre of these privately published works dating back to the 19th century;
- Anthologies on aspects of Texas Ranger history;
- Reprints of 19th and 20th century ‘classics’ in Texas Ranger history;
- Juvenile literature (children and young adult) based on accurate history or depiction suited to school and public library collections.
Excluded Works
The following are not eligible:
- Self-published, ‘subsidy published’ or print-on-demand works;
- Fiction such as novels or graphic novels;
- Works essentially constituting catalogs of privately held collections of artwork or artifacts; price or collectors’ guides;
- Auction catalogs;
- Overtly speculative or sensationalistic works;
- Works issued solely in electronic form without a print edition.
Criteria
- Nonfiction published between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2023;
- Works must include primary as well as secondary sources documented to generally accepted research standards (footnotes, end notes and bibliography);
- An analytical, interpretive and balanced perspective;
- A readable narrative style appealing to a general audience, or, a reference compilation of biographical sketches, data or material culture information.
To Apply
Please Note: Application must be made by the Publisher, not the Author.
Only works with a publication commitment are eligible for consideration.
There are no fees or charges associated with the program. Acceptance is a designation of merit in conjunction with the anniversary. Publishers are expected to actively promote accepted publications in conjunction with the Texas Ranger Bicentennial™.
Please send a letter of request from the publisher as an email attachment (info@sandbox.texasranger.org), or by post, to Director, Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, Waco, TX 76706-2570. Please state that the work has been accepted for publication and the expected date of release.
Please include, marked with copyright statement, either (a) a confidential copy of the manuscript, or, (2) the table of contents and two selected chapters. Reprints of “classics” need only submit any new foreword, notes or addenda.
Review
The review process will be expedited to facilitate your publication schedules. Works are reviewed solely to determine that they meet the criteria stated above for the program. The pool of reviewers are drawn from published scholars in Texas Ranger history, Texas Rangers and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum professional staff.
Deposit Copies
Publishers agree to provide two published copies of each work for:
(1) The permanent collection of the Tobin and Anne Armstrong Texas Ranger Research Center, the official State repository of the Texas Rangers.
(2) The Headquarters library of the Texas Rangers / Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin, Texas.
Questions? Please contact:
Byron A. Johnson, Director
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
PO Box 2570
Waco, TX 76702-2570
Email: info@sandbox.texasranger.org
Phone: 254-750-8631