H.R. No. 302



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The month of October typically brings to Texas a 
host of festivals celebrating the Czech heritage that is enjoyed by 
a multitude of citizens across the state; and
	WHEREAS, Among the first Czechs to come to Texas in the years 
following annexation was the Reverend Josef Arnost Bergmann, who 
arrived with his family in 1850 and settled in the German community 
of Cat Spring in Austin County; Reverend Bergmann soon began 
writing back to Europe, praising the availability of inexpensive 
land and the opportunities to be found in Texas; his letters, one of 
which was published in the Moravian News, are credited with 
spurring many other Czechs to emigrate as well; and
	WHEREAS, Most of those newcomers landed at Galveston and then 
traveled to Cat Spring, dispersing from there to establish new 
homes throughout the state; the census of 1860 reported some 700 
Czechs living in Texas, and by 1900 the state had approximately 250 
Czech communities, the majority of which were concentrated in 15 
counties situated on the Blackland and Coastal Prairies; and
	WHEREAS, Notable characteristics of the Czech Texans have 
included their close-knit family structure, a deep attachment to 
the land and to farming as a way of life, and an egalitarianism that 
has expressed itself in staunch support for this country's 
democratic ideals; Czechs have also been quite active in forming 
cooperative societies and fraternal organizations; and
	WHEREAS, Together with Texans of German descent, Czechs have 
bequeathed to posterity a number of churches that are famed for 
their decoratively painted interiors; four of the most noted are 
around Schulenburg, in the communities of Ammansville, Dubina, High 
Hill, and Praha; and
	WHEREAS, From their earliest days in Texas, Czechs have 
sought to preserve their oral traditions, folk songs and dances, 
foods, and various customs, and especially the Czech language; the 
Czech spoken in Texas is distinctive in that Moravian dialects 
predominate in this state, as opposed to the Bohemian dialects that 
prevail in other Czech American communities; and
	WHEREAS, To further promote knowledge and appreciation of 
Czech culture, the Czech Heritage Society of Texas was established 
in 1982; the society is currently cooperating with other Czech 
organizations in the state to create the Texas Czech Heritage and 
Cultural Center, which is being developed in La Grange; and
	WHEREAS, Today Texas boasts, by some estimates, 
approximately one million Czech descendants, the largest Czech 
population of any state in the country; the pride these Texans take 
in their rich and vibrant culture is expressed each October through 
numerous Czech festivals, some of them generations old; and
	WHEREAS, Texans of Czech ancestry have made significant and 
lasting contributions to the prosperity and cultural vitality of 
the Lone Star State, and it is a pleasure to acknowledge the 
indelible imprint of their lives and labors; and
	WHEREAS, Representative Aaron Pena has justly recognized the 
crucial role of Czech Texans by authoring this resolution in their 
behalf during the 1st Called Session of the 79th Texas Legislature; 
now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby recognize October 2005 as 
Czech Heritage Month in Texas and encourage all Texans to join in 
Czech festival celebrations; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for the Czech Heritage Society of Texas as an expression of 
high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

                                                                            Pena

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 302 was adopted by the House on July 
13, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House