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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 946
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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recognize Frank Rollins of Houston, who was invited to take part |
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in National Train Day ceremonies in Philadelphia honoring the |
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legacy of Pullman porters and the part they played in making |
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America's trains run; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Rollins worked as a Pullman porter after |
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working several years as a dining car waiter; from his home in |
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Chicago, he made runs to Columbus, Georgia, for the Illinois |
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Central Railroad, and he also worked the dining car of the plush, |
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all-Pullman Panama Limited to the Gulf Coast; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Waterproof, Louisiana, Mr. Rollins |
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moved to Chicago at the age of 20 to obtain work at the railroad; |
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in addition to his work with the Illinois Central Railroad, he |
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worked for the Santa Fe Railroad and the New York, Chicago, and |
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Saint Louis Railroad, famously known as the "Nickel Plate Road"; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Pullman porters and dining car waiters played an |
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important role in African American history as part of the |
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emerging black middle class; although they worked grueling |
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schedules for meager salaries and tips, they were still able to |
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raise their families and set money aside; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his stint as a Pullman porter, Mr. |
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Rollins ran a restaurant in Chicago and worked as a jeweler; he |
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has lived in Houston since 1955, retiring from the jewelry |
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business in 1982, and he now enjoys the outdoors and going |
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fishing on the coast; he is truly deserving of recognition for |
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his lifetime of hard work and for the part he has played in the |
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development and progress of this nation; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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Legislature, hereby commend Frank Rollins on his contributions |
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to the legacy of Pullman porters; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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Ellis |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 18, 2009. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |