The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Margaret Toal

Elzie Odom, Orange County's first elected Black public official, returned to Orange in 2012 to sign a copy of his memoir. Pictured with him at the signing was retired school teacher Betty Curtis and the late Franklin Gans. Odom grew up in the Shankleville town in Newton County. After leaving Orange for his career in the U.S. Postal Service, he later became the first Black mayor of Arlington, Texas.