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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Members of the Texas Geographic Names Committee and |
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the U.S. Board on Geographic Names have issued a report which shows |
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that there are at least 28 geographic features in Texas with |
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racially offensive names; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1991, the Texas Legislature passed H.B. 1756, |
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relating to the elimination of certain racially offensive names of |
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geographic features; the act requires the renaming of any |
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geographic feature with a name containing the word "Negro," yet in |
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the 30 years since the law was passed, 17 of the 19 place names |
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detailed in the act remain unchanged; and |
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WHEREAS, Changes to place names require the approval of the |
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U.S. Board on Geographic Names, which in 1998 rejected the names |
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proposed by H.B. 1756; however, the names were submitted for |
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reconsideration at a recent meeting of the USBGN and will be |
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considered for validation and acceptance no later than June 2021; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to those currently under |
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reconsideration, the USBGN has identified 11 other place names in |
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Texas containing the slur, in contravention of Section 3 of H.B. |
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1756; there are currently no proposals to change these names, and |
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the board's protocol requires a formal proposal be submitted in |
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order to consider any changes; the board encourages Texas to seek |
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proponents to submit a proposal for each of these names; and |
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WHEREAS, The perpetuation of racially offensive language is a |
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stain on the Lone Star State, and it is vital that the names of these |
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geographic features be changed in order to reflect and honor the |
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diversity of the population; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby urge the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to approve requests |
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to change racially offensive place names in accordance with Texas |
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H.B. 1756. |