H.R. No. 316



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Charlye Ola Farris of Wichita Falls has established 
a succession of firsts in the course of her 50-year legal career; 
and
	WHEREAS, Born and raised in Wichita Falls, Ms. Farris 
graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1945 at the age 
of 15 and from Prairie View A&M College three years later; to 
appease her father, the first African American school 
superintendent in Texas, and her mother, an elementary school 
teacher for 49 years, she then accepted a position teaching third 
and fourth graders, but after a year she resigned her position in 
order to pursue a legal career; and
	WHEREAS, Undaunted by the scarcity of women in her chosen 
field and by obstacles arrayed at that time against any African 
American who wanted to study law in Texas, Ms. Farris chose to 
enroll at the University of Denver; she subsequently transferred to 
Howard University, where she received her law degree in 1953; that 
same year she returned to Texas and passed the bar exam, becoming 
the first African American woman in the state to be licensed to 
practice law; and
	WHEREAS, Moving home to Wichita Falls, she also became the 
first woman to actively practice law in Wichita County; she soon 
added the further distinction of being the first African American 
to serve as a judge in the South in any capacity since 
Reconstruction when she served as special county judge, or county 
judge pro tem, in Wichita County on July 7, 1954; and
	WHEREAS, Following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964, Ms. Farris moved her office from the east side of town to a 
building by the courthouse, a location where she has hung her 
shingle for almost 39 years; and
	WHEREAS, When she began the practice of law and for some years 
thereafter, Ms. Farris confronted a continuing assault on her 
dignity from official segregation, as well as the attitudes that 
spawned it; in the face of rank injustice, she persevered and 
established a reputation for honesty and fairness; and
	WHEREAS, Over the course of five decades, this notable 
Texan's extraordinary accomplishments have earned her deep esteem, 
and she has been recognized by the American Bar Association, 
National Bar Association, and State Bar of Texas; and
	WHEREAS, Members of the Wichita County Bar Association are 
celebrating her achievements with a dinner and tribute on November 
13, 2003, and together with the Wichita Falls Area Community 
Foundation, they are establishing an endowed scholarship in her 
name; and
	WHEREAS, Throughout her career, Charlye Farris has done honor 
to her profession and contributed immeasurably to the benefit of 
her community; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby recognize Charlye Ola 
Farris for her exceptional record of triumph and service and extend 
to her sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Ms. Farris as an expression of high regard by the Texas 
House of Representatives.

                                                                         Farabee

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 316 was adopted by the House on 
October 10, 2003, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House