H.R. No. 421

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., are
	visiting the State Capitol on March 16, 2009, and this occasion
	provides a fitting opportunity to honor the organization for its
	legacy of civic involvement; and
	WHEREAS, Delta Sigma Theta was founded in January 1913 by 22
	students at Howard University who were interested in promoting
	academic excellence and serving their community, and their first
	collective action was to participate in the Women's Suffrage March,
	which was held in Washington, D.C., in March of that year; this
	private, nonprofit organization went on to become incorporated in
	1930, and today it has more than 200,000 members in 900 chapters in
	the United States, England, Japan, Germany, the Virgin Islands,
	Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the Republic of Korea; its purpose is to
	provide assistance and support to communities across the world
	through its established programs that focus on economic and
	educational development, international awareness and involvement,
	physical and mental health, and political engagement; and
	WHEREAS, Although it is present on many college campuses,
	Delta Sigma Theta is comprised mainly of alumni; active in their
	communities, the organization's alumni remain committed to its
	ideals, and they account for 76 percent of the total membership;
	many of these influential citizens are educators, but they also
	hold political offices, own businesses, and practice in a variety
	of fields ranging from medicine to law; among the group's
	distinguished alumni are two trailblazers, Shirley Chisholm and
	Barbara Jordan; Ms. Chisholm was the first African American woman
	to serve in the United States Congress, and in 1973, Ms. Jordan
	became the first African American woman from a southern state to be
	elected to the U.S. Congress; a Houston native and member of the
	Texas Senate, Ms. Jordan made lasting contributions to the Lone
	Star State, and she also had the distinction of being the first
	woman to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National
	Convention; and
	WHEREAS, Throughout its rich history, Delta Sigma Theta has
	demonstrated a commitment to developing concerned citizens who work
	in behalf of the greater good, and its members may indeed reflect
	with pride on their organization's noteworthy tradition of
	community service; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
	Legislature hereby commend Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., for
	its dedicated service to the community and outstanding record of
	achievements and extend to all those associated with the group
	sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Delta Sigma Theta as an expression of high regard by
	the Texas House of Representatives.
	McClendon
	Straus Gattis Menendez
	Allen Geren Merritt
	Alonzo Giddings Miklos
	Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
	Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
	Anderson Guillen Moody
	Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
	Berman Hamilton Naishtat
	Bohac Hancock Oliveira
	Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
	Bonnen Harless Orr
	Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
	Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
	Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
	Burnam Hernandez Patrick
	Button Herrero Paxton
	Callegari Hilderbran Peña
	Castro Hochberg Phillips
	Chavez Hodge Pickett
	Chisum Homer Pierson
	Christian Hopson Pitts
	Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
	Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
	Cook Hughes Riddle
	Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
	Crabb Isett Ritter
	Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
	Creighton Jones Rose
	Crownover Keffer Sheffield
	Darby Kent Shelton
	Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
	Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
	Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
	Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
	Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
	Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
	Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
	Edwards Legler Thibaut
	Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
	Eissler Lewis Truitt
	Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
	England Madden Turner of Harris
	Farabee Maldonado Vaught
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Marquez Villarreal
	Fletcher Martinez Vo
	Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
	Flynn McCall Weber
	Frost McClendon Woolley
	Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 421 was adopted by the House on March
	16, 2009, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House