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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life and legacy of an outstanding physician and |
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community leader were recognized with the dedication of the Viola |
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M. Coleman Family Medicine Clinic in Midland on August 15, 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Coleman was born in New Iberia, Louisiana, on |
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September 25, 1919; she earned her bachelor's degree in education |
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from Southern University in 1939 and her medical degree from |
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Meharry Medical College 10 years later; after interning in New |
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York, she settled in Midland with her husband, Raymond, and |
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established a practice in 1951; and |
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WHEREAS, This pioneering African American doctor resolved to |
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address the problem of racial segregation in her new community by |
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opening her waiting room to patients of all races; she went on to |
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play a critical role in the desegregation of Midland's hospital, |
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restaurants, and public schools; a strong advocate for minority |
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students, she helped initiate a Head Start program and worked to |
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improve high school graduation rates; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of a distinguished career, Dr. |
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Coleman served as medical chief of staff at Midland Memorial |
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Hospital (MMH) and was instrumental in the creation of an emergency |
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medical technician program at Midland College; she continued to |
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maintain her private practice until 1998, when MMH bought her |
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office and established a community clinic there; not yet ready to |
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retire, she joined the clinic staff and went on seeing patients |
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until she was 85; in recognition of her civic leadership and |
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exceptional achievements, she was accorded the Thomas Jefferson |
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Award for Public Service, and the Viola M. Coleman High School in |
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Midland was named in her honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Administered by Midland Community Healthcare |
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Services, the clinic in which Dr. Coleman practiced and which now |
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bears her name has undergone extensive renovation in order to |
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better serve the people of Midland and the surrounding area; the |
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Coleman Clinic provides high-quality medical treatment on a |
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sliding-fee scale and offers such services as preventive health |
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care, annual checkups, dental care, and management of chronic |
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illnesses, as well as access to health education, financial |
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counseling, and social services; and |
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WHEREAS, For more than 50 years, Dr. Viola Coleman set an |
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inspiring example of civic engagement, compassion for others, and |
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commitment to the highest standards of her profession, and it is |
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indeed fitting that this outstanding medical facility should pay |
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tribute to her memory; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of the Viola M. |
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Coleman Family Medicine Clinic in Midland; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the staff of the clinic as an expression of high regard |
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by the Texas House of Representatives. |