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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 89th birthday of an esteemed Texan is indeed |
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cause for celebration, and Geraldine Bright of San Antonio |
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commemorated this special occasion on October 27, 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in the East Texas town of Pittsburg in 1919, |
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Mrs. Bright attended Prairie View State Normal & Industrial |
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College, where she earned a bachelor's degree in business |
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administration in 1942; graduating just months after the United |
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States had entered World War II, she volunteered for the Women's |
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Army Auxiliary Corps, and as one of the first 40 African American |
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women to take this step, she demonstrated great dedication to her |
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country as well as tremendous courage as she strove to break down |
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the walls built by racial prejudice; and |
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WHEREAS, Although she faced discrimination during her time in |
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the corps, Mrs. Bright overcame the challenges she encountered and |
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went on to excel and become a leader among her peers; she ranked at |
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the top of her class and was promoted to first lieutenant before |
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being stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where she trained other |
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young recruits; her efforts helped open the way for later |
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generations of African American women who have played important |
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roles as members of our nation's armed forces; and |
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WHEREAS, Following her military service, Mrs. Bright secured |
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employment with the law offices of W. J. Durham in Dallas at a time |
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when the NAACP was coordinating its efforts to open the Democratic |
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Party to African Americans; her work as a legal secretary brought |
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her in contact with a number of influential figures who |
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participated in that effort, including Thurgood Marshall and |
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William Henry Hastie; after moving to San Antonio in 1946, she took |
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a job with the San Antonio Housing Authority, using her expertise to |
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set up financial and bookkeeping systems for the organization; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Bright is a charter member of the Women |
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Pavilion in Washington, D.C., and has shared her time and talents |
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with Delta Sorority; she is also a longtime congregant of St. |
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Philip's Episcopal Church in San Antonio, where she has worshipped |
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for more than a half-century; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to her many other accomplishments, Mrs. |
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Bright has devoted herself to caring for her family; married to |
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Gerald Bright, she became a single mother when Mr. Bright passed |
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away and raised four children on her own, often working two jobs to |
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make ends meet; and |
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WHEREAS, Beloved by her relatives and friends, Geraldine |
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Bright is an inspiration to all who know her and she may indeed |
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reflect on the past 89 years with considerable pride; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Geraldine Bright on her 89th |
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birthday and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued |
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happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Bright as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |