Harold L. Valderas Collection

Summary: Judge Harold L. Valderas served as Senior District Judge in the 233rd Court, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. He later served as a Judge Advocate. In the U.S. Air Force he held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He donated biographical files and photographs from his family collection.

  • Biographical files with news clippings, pamphlets, booklets compiled by donor 
  • Photographs of Aviation Cadet Harold L. Valderas at Hicks Field, Fort Worth, 1942-1946 (image shown)
  • Correspondence between Harold L. Valderas and Meryl Graff (Masters), beginning August 22, 1944. Correspondence is separated by years. The early letters date from the period when Valderas was stationed at an air base in England during World War II. After the war, letters are directed from Southern Methodist University, where he was a student. The last letter from the series is from Valderas, January 16, 1948. There is one additional letter from Meryl G. Masters to Harold Valderas, June 20, 2000. She died soon after. Letters received by her from Valderas, and kept by her for many years, were returned to him by her surviving mother. Included are copies of two photographs, undated, of Meryl Graff. Judge Valderas donated the letters stating their war-time story, and the experiences of a G.I.'s attempt to continue his education after the war, make them useful.
 
Valderas 1942

 

  • Black Hawk Cable Television Series on DVD: Valderas Video Archive, Judge Harold L. Valderas, 233rd District Court, Tarrant County, Fort Worth, Texas Television Interviews, 1985 and 1986.  Placed on DVD format in 2001, by Harold M. Valderas 
    • Volume I: 1985 Interviews, Court Improvement Proposals (95 minutes) 
          "What About People" - aired October 22, 1985 
           "Parents in Action" - aired November 15, 1985 
           "Texas America" - aired December 10, 1985 
           "Manuel Jara Tribute" - aired December 21, 1985 
           "Access Five" - aired December 22, 1985
    • Volume II: 1986 Television Interviews, Texas America Series (136 minutes) 
            "Texas Family Code" - aired January 2, 1986 
             "Legal Marriage" - aired January 26, 1986 
             "Divorce Issues" - aired February 3, 1986 
             "Legal Residency" - aired February 10, 1986 
             "Child Support" - aired February 17, 1986 
             "Parent Relationship" - aired February 24, 1986
    • Volume III: Black Hawk Cable, "The Law and You"
            "Hispanic Heritage Week - Carswell Air Force Base" 1986 (18 minutes)
            "High School Trial Class"  1981 (42 minutes)
            "Mock Trial" 1981 (50 minutes)
    •  Volume IV: Black Hawk Cable, "The Law and You"
           "Office of Special Investigations" (55 minutes)
           "Family Courts" 1981 (42 minutes)
           "Military Law" 1981 (25 minutes)