R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to pay
1-2 tribute to the renowned military units known as the Buffalo
1-3 Soldiers who played such a significant role in the history of the
1-4 Lone Star State; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Buffalo Soldiers were African-American soldiers who
1-6 fought with distinction during the period from 1866 to 1892; they
1-7 were given their name by the Plains Indians; and
1-8 WHEREAS, Among the many outstanding officers who served their
1-9 state and nation with the Buffalo Soldiers were Henry O. Flipper,
1-10 Benjamin H. Grierson, Abner Doubleday, William Rufus Shafter,
1-11 Joseph A. Mower, and Edward Hatch; and
1-12 WHEREAS, Combatants in most of the major frontier campaigns
1-13 of the period, Buffalo Soldiers fought with valor against the
1-14 Cheyenne, Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Sioux, and Arapaho Indians; 13
1-15 enlisted men from the four regiments that comprised the Buffalo
1-16 Soldiers earned the Medal of Honor during the Indian wars, as did
1-17 six officers; in addition, five more enlisted men were accorded
1-18 that prestigious decoration for their efforts during the
1-19 Spanish-American War; and
1-20 WHEREAS, In the 1960s, public interest in the Buffalo
1-21 Soldiers was rekindled by a John Ford film, Sergeant Rutledge, and
1-22 the publication of several scholarly histories; in 1986, a
1-23 reenactment unit, the Tenth Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers at Fort
1-24 Concho, was formed, and in the 1990s, a Ninth Cavalry living
2-1 history unit was formed with the Texas Parks and Wildlife
2-2 Department and has performed at state parks and other venues; and
2-3 WHEREAS, During the month of July, youth throughout the state
2-4 will focus on the multicultural heritage of Texas by participating
2-5 in educational programs related to the Buffalo Soldiers, and the
2-6 youth will gather on the steps of the State Capitol on July 28 to
2-7 honor the pioneers who settled this state; and
2-8 WHEREAS, Founded in 1990 by the Soldiers in Blue Committee in
2-9 Abilene, and directed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
2-10 the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Program has expanded into a statewide
2-11 initiative that has reached thousands of youth and families through
2-12 its living history demonstrations; and
2-13 WHEREAS, Augmenting educational programs about the soldiers
2-14 is the Texas Buffalo Soldier Heritage Trails of Texas Project,
2-15 which promotes the history of the Buffalo Soldiers, vaqueros, black
2-16 cowboys, Native American Indians, frontier women, and other
2-17 cultural groups in Texas during the 1800s with the primary focus
2-18 being their shared heritages; and
2-19 WHEREAS, The idea for the heritage trails was developed by A.
2-20 C. and Gloria Jackson of Abilene; James and Robbyne Fuller of
2-21 Midland; Eric Strong of Lubbock; and Ken Pollard of the Texas Parks
2-22 and Wildlife Department in Austin; the objective of the project is
2-23 to inform and involve Texas communities in the preservation of the
2-24 history of significant minority citizens and sites and properties
2-25 in our proud state; and
2-26 WHEREAS, The bravery and dedication of the Texas Buffalo
2-27 Soldiers contributed significantly to the legendary history of the
3-1 Lone Star State and they are truly deserving of special recognition
3-2 at this time; now, therefore, be it
3-3 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
3-4 Legislature hereby recognize July 1999 as Texas Buffalo Soldiers
3-5 Month and July 28, 1999, as Texas Buffalo Soldiers Capitol Salute
3-6 Day and extend warmest best wishes to the members of the
3-7 organization's delegation on their visit to Austin; and, be it
3-8 further
3-9 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-10 prepared for the Soldiers in Blue Committee as an expression of
3-11 high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Hunter
Laney Glaze Moreno of El Paso
Alexander Goodman Morrison
Allen Goolsby Mowery
Alvarado Gray Naishtat
Averitt Green Najera
Bailey Greenberg Nixon
Berman Grusendorf Noriega
Bonnen Gutierrez Oliveira
Bosse Haggerty Olivo
Brimer Hamric Palmer
Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Pickett
Brown of Brazos Hartnett Pitts
Burnam Hawley Puente
Capelo Heflin Ramsay
Carter Hilbert Rangel
Chavez Hilderbran Reyna of Bexar
Chisum Hill Reyna of Dallas
Christian Hinojosa Ritter
Clark Hochberg Sadler
Coleman Hodge Salinas
Cook Homer Seaman
Corte Hope Shields
Counts Howard Siebert
Crabb Hunter Smith
Craddick Hupp Smithee
Crownover Isett Solis of Cameron
Cuellar Janek Solis of Bexar
Culberson Jones of Brazos Solomons
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Staples
Davis of Harris Jones of Dallas Swinford
Davis of Dallas Junell Talton
Delisi Keel Telford
Denny Keffer Thompson
Deshotel King of Parker Tillery
Driver King of Uvalde Truitt
Dukes Krusee Turner of Coleman
Dunnam Kuempel Turner of Harris
Dutton Lengefeld Uher
Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Van de Putte
Eiland Longoria Walker
Elkins Luna West
Ellis McCall Williams
Farabee McClendon Wilson
Farrar McReynolds Wise
Flores Madden Wohlgemuth
Gallego Marchant Wolens
Garcia Maxey Woolley
George Merritt Yarbrough
Giddings Moreno of Harris Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 437 was adopted by the House on March
17, 1999, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House