R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The celebration of Black History Month in February
1-2 provides an occasion to recognize the rich cultural heritage of
1-3 African Americans and the significant contributions that African
1-4 Americans have made and are making in the State of Texas; and
1-5 WHEREAS, People of African descent have a long history in
1-6 this region; in the 1500s a Moor named Estevan accompanied the
1-7 Spanish explorer Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca on a trek across Texas;
1-8 by the late 1700s some 450 people of African descent were living in
1-9 Spanish Texas, and in the early 1800s many African Americans from
1-10 the American South escaped across the Sabine River to freedom,
1-11 often settling in East Texas, where they followed a variety of
1-12 occupations; and
1-13 WHEREAS, In the 19th century, before emancipation, African
1-14 Americans played an enormous role in producing the state's
1-15 agricultural bounty and also worked as skilled artisans; after the
1-16 Civil War, many moved to urban centers and, in the years to come,
1-17 provided manpower for the new industries that were established
1-18 there; and
1-19 WHEREAS, African American infantry and cavalry garrisoned
1-20 forts in West Texas during the Indian Wars; known as "Buffalo
1-21 Soldiers," they patrolled the frontier with the assistance of
1-22 Seminole-Negro Indian scouts, built roads, and escorted mail
1-23 carriers, along with numerous other duties; Sergeant Emmanuel
1-24 Stance, stationed at Fort McKavett, was the first African American
2-1 who fought in the Indian Wars to be awarded the Medal of Honor; and
2-2 WHEREAS, Since the early 1800s, African Americans have been
2-3 involved in the cattle industry; one of the most famous black
2-4 cowboys was William Pickett, who became a Wild West rodeo performer
2-5 and who is believed to have originated the bulldogging event; and
2-6 WHEREAS, In the mid-20th century, African Americans in Texas
2-7 significantly advanced the civil rights movement by filing and
2-8 winning lawsuits that outlawed the white primary and helped to
2-9 integrate graduate and professional schools; in more recent years,
2-10 officials such as U.S. Representative Barbara Jordan, Texas Court
2-11 of Criminal Appeals Justice Morris Overstreet, Texas Railroad
2-12 Commission Chairman Michael L. Williams, and others have taken
2-13 their place in the public arena; and
2-14 WHEREAS, Among the most notable of black Texan contributors
2-15 to the arts and humanities have been the musicians Blind Lemon
2-16 Jefferson, Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, Scott Joplin, and Eddie
2-17 Durham, folklorist J. Mason Brewer, and artist John Biggers;
2-18 prominent athletes include baseball player Willie Wells, boxers
2-19 Jack Johnson and George Foreman, tennis player Zina Garrison,
2-20 volleyball player Flora "Flo" Hyman, and football players Earl
2-21 Campbell, Tony Dorsett, and Ricky Williams; and
2-22 WHEREAS, African Americans have been an integral part of the
2-23 Texas mosaic since colonial times and continue in myriad ways to
2-24 enrich our society and culture; now, therefore, be it
2-25 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-26 Legislature hereby recognize February 2001 as Black History Month
2-27 in Texas and encourage all Texans to learn more about the history
3-1 and contributions of African Americans in the Lone Star State.
Pitts
Laney Goodman Merritt
Alexander Goolsby Miller
Allen Gray Moreno of Harris
Averitt Green Moreno of El Paso
Bailey Grusendorf Morrison
Berman Gutierrez Mowery
Bonnen Haggerty Naishtat
Bosse Hamric Najera
Brimer Hardcastle Nixon
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Noriega
Brown of Brazos Hawley Oliveira
Burnam Heflin Olivo
Callegari Hilbert Pickett
Capelo Hilderbran Pitts
Carter Hill Puente
Chavez Hinojosa Ramsay
Chisum Hochberg Rangel
Christian Hodge Raymond
Clark Homer Reyna of Bexar
Coleman Hope Reyna of Dallas
Cook Hopson Ritter
Corte Howard Sadler
Counts Hunter Salinas
Crabb Hupp Seaman
Craddick Isett Shields
Crownover Janek Smith
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Davis of Harris Jones of Bexar Solis
Davis of Dallas Jones of Dallas Solomons
Delisi Junell Swinford
Denny Keel Talton
Deshotel Keffer Telford
Driver King of Parker Thompson
Dukes King of Uvalde Tillery
Dunnam Kitchen Truitt
Dutton Kolkhorst Turner of Coleman
Edwards Krusee Turner of Harris
Ehrhardt Kuempel Uher
Eiland Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Elkins Lewis of Orange Villarreal
Ellis Longoria Walker
Farabee Luna West
Farrar McCall Williams
Flores McClendon Wilson
Gallego McReynolds Wise
Garcia Madden Wohlgemuth
George Marchant Wolens
Geren Martinez Fischer Woolley
Giddings Maxey Yarbrough
Glaze Menendez Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 383 was adopted by the House on
February 27, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House