H.R. No. 787
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The death of the Reverend Robert Gilbert on November
1-2 11, 1992, at the age of 50, has brought a great loss to the many
1-3 friends and relatives of this distinguished Texas clergyman and
1-4 champion of social justice; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Born in Waco on December 27, 1941, and graduated
1-6 from A. J. Moore High School, he was a pioneer in breaking racial
1-7 barriers facing black residents in the community; in 1967, he
1-8 became the first black student graduated from Baylor University,
1-9 and, the next year, the first black teacher in an all-white public
1-10 school in Waco; and
1-11 WHEREAS, On his ordination, the Reverend Gilbert began his
1-12 pastoral ministry by offering spiritual guidance to the
1-13 congregations of Good Hope Baptist Church in Chilton and Macedonia
1-14 Baptist Church in Bremond before being called to Waco, where he
1-15 provided 12 years of faithful service as the pastor of Carver Park
1-16 Baptist Church; and
1-17 WHEREAS, A man ahead of his time in the struggle for civil
1-18 and human rights, the Reverend Gilbert was committed to creating a
1-19 climate in this state and nation that would ensure the dignity and
1-20 basic human rights of all citizens, and worked toward the goal of
1-21 achieving racial tolerance through his service as vice-chairman of
1-22 the Waco Human Relations Commission and as a consultant to the U.S.
1-23 Civil Rights Commission; and
1-24 WHEREAS, His dedication to the needs of young people was
2-1 reflected in his service on the Waco school board and as assistant
2-2 director of Baylor's Upward Bound program, which he helped to
2-3 found; and
2-4 WHEREAS, In recognition of the many and significant
2-5 contributions he made in behalf of the community, the Reverend
2-6 Gilbert was chosen as the National Association of Social Work's
2-7 Citizen of the Year in 1981 and was honored with the prestigious
2-8 Humanitarian of the Year award by the Waco Conference of Christians
2-9 and Jews; and
2-10 WHEREAS, Afflicted with arthritis since the age of 14 and in
2-11 poor health for much of his life, he served as an inspiration to
2-12 all who knew him personally and through his work, which was
2-13 recounted in a biography appropriately entitled No Excuses
2-14 Accepted; and
2-15 WHEREAS, Throughout his many years of outstanding service,
2-16 the Reverend Gilbert placed the spiritual needs of his
2-17 congregations and the needs of his community above all else; though
2-18 his passing will be widely mourned throughout the Waco community,
2-19 his memory will long endure in the hearts and minds of the many
2-20 people whose lives were touched by this dedicated and courageous
2-21 gentleman; now, therefore, be it
2-22 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
2-23 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Reverend Robert
2-24 Gilbert and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his
2-25 family: to his wife, Elwayne Gilbert; to his daughter, Evangeline
2-26 Slaughter; to his two sons, JaJa Gilbert and Kenyatta Gilbert; to
2-27 his mother, Fannie Gilbert Robinson; to his sister, LaRue Dorsey;
3-1 to his three brothers, Benotha Gilbert, the Reverend Samuel
3-2 J. Gilbert, and Charles Earl Gilbert; to his three grandchildren;
3-3 and to the other members of his family; and, be it further
3-4 RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
3-5 for the members of his family and that when the Texas House of
3-6 Representatives adjourns today, it do so in memory of the Reverend
3-7 Robert Gilbert.
3-8 Representatives adjourns today, it do so in memory of the Reverend
3-9 Robert Gilbert.
3-10 Denton
3-11 H.R. No. 787
3-12 Laney Giddings Munoz
3-13 Alexander Glaze Naishtat
3-14 Allen Goodman Nieto
3-15 Alonzo Goolsby Oakley
3-16 Alvarado Granoff Ogden
3-17 Averitt Gray Oliveira
3-18 Bailey Greenberg Park
3-19 Berlanga Grusendorf Parra
3-20 Black Gutierrez Patterson
3-21 Blackwood Haggerty Pitts
3-22 Bomer Hamric Place
3-23 Bosse Harris Price
3-24 Brady Hartnett Puente
3-25 Brimer Heflin Rabuck
3-26 Cain Hernandez Ramsay
3-27 Campbell Hightower Rangel
4-1 Carona Hilbert Raymond
4-2 Carter Hilderbran Rodriguez
4-3 Chisum Hill Romo
4-4 Clemons Hirschi Rudd
4-5 Coleman Hochberg Sadler
4-6 Combs Holzheauser Saunders
4-7 Conley Horn Schechter
4-8 Cook Hudson Seidlits
4-9 Corte Hunter of Taylor Shields
4-10 Counts Hunter of Nueces Siebert
4-11 Crabb Jackson A. Smith of Harris
4-12 Craddick James D. Smith of Harris
4-13 Cuellar of Webb Johnson Smithee
4-14 Cuellar of Hidalgo Jones of Lubbock Solis
4-15 Culberson Jones of Dallas Stiles
4-16 Danburg Junell Swinford
4-17 Davila Kamel Tallas
4-18 Davis Krusee Talton
4-19 De La Garza Kubiak Telford
4-20 Dear Kuempel Thompson of Tarrant
4-21 Delco Lewis Thompson of Harris
4-22 Delisi Linebarger Turner of Coleman
4-23 Denton Longoria Turner of Harris
4-24 Driver Luna Uher
4-25 Duncan McCall Van de Putte
4-26 Dutton McCoulskey Vowell
4-27 Earley McDonald West
5-1 Eckels Madden Williamson
5-2 Edwards Marchant Willis
5-3 Erickson Martin Wilson
5-4 Finnell Maxey Wolens
5-5 Flores Moffat Yarbrough
5-6 Gallego Moreno Yost
5-7 Gallegos Mowery Zbranek
5-8 H.R. No. 787
5-9 _______________________________
5-10 Speaker of the House
5-11 I certify that H.R. No. 787 was unanimously adopted by a
5-12 rising vote of the House on May 26, 1993.
5-13 _______________________________
5-14 Chief Clerk of the House