H.R. No. 177

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, A full and productive life drew to a close with the
	death of groundbreaking civil rights activist and former Dallas
	City Council member Albert Louis Lipscomb, who died on June 18,
	2011, at the age of 86; and
	WHEREAS, The son of Lucille Katy Jeffrey and T. B. Lipscomb,
	Al Lipscomb was born in East Dallas on June 15, 1925; he graduated
	from Lincoln High School and served in the United States Army Air
	Forces during World War II; in 1950, he returned to his hometown and
	worked as headwaiter at a number of the city's finest restaurants;
	while employed at the Baker Hotel, he met his future wife, the
	former Lovie Marie Love, and their fulfilling marriage was made
	even richer through the years with the addition of eight children;
	and
	WHEREAS, In the mid-1960s, Mr. Lipscomb took a leading role
	in what proved a long battle to help African American homeowners
	threatened with displacement from Fair Park; he worked as an
	organizer for the Dallas Community Action Agency and for the
	Southern Christian Leadership Conference, whose Dallas chapter he
	cofounded; undaunted by threats, he strengthened the determination
	of others participating in the bold SCLC campaign to end
	discrimination by a grocery chain; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Lipscomb became the first African American to
	run for mayor of Dallas in 1971, and although it cost him his job as
	supervisor of field operations for the Council of Churches Block
	Partnership program, he received enough votes to force a runoff
	between the two leading candidates; moreover, his support tipped
	the balance against the establishment candidate and altered the
	political landscape in Dallas; he was the lead plaintiff in the
	landmark constitutional lawsuit that overturned the city's
	at-large election system and forced the creation of single-member
	districts; in addition, he founded the South Dallas Information
	Center to help residents with issues of discrimination and poverty,
	and for years, he appeared in the council chamber and at other
	public meetings as a vigorous citizen voice for change; and
	WHEREAS, In 1984, Mr. Lipscomb won election to the city
	council, and he was elected mayor pro tem in 1991; term limits
	required him to leave office in 1993, and he founded a chemical
	supply company, Lipscomb Industries, before regaining his seat two
	years later; over the course of his seven terms in office, he held
	regular town hall meetings, cosponsored an innovative
	community-based crime prevention program that continues to benefit
	citizens today, and devoted himself to improving the quality of
	life in his Oak Cliff district and Greater Dallas; remaining a
	forceful defender of civil rights, he successfully advocated for
	the hiring of the first minority city manager in Dallas; he resigned
	in 2000, and in 2003 he was appointed to the Citizens Police Review
	Board; and
	WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan was a lifelong member of
	St. Mark's Baptist Church; an ordained deacon, he served as
	president of the Pastor's Aid Committee and sang in the Male Chorus,
	and Rialto Community Bible College awarded him an honorary
	doctorate in religion; tireless in his commitment to the community,
	Mr. Lipscomb served in leadership roles with numerous
	organizations, among them Dallas Legal Services, the Martin Luther
	King, Jr., Community Center, Progressive Voters League, and the
	City of Dallas Charter Review Committee; the Texas Peace Officers
	Association selected him as Man of the Year in 1980 and he was named
	one of "50 People Who Made Dallas" by D Magazine; his myriad
	accolades also included the Outstanding Texan Achievement Award
	from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and the Civil Rights Award
	from the John F. Kennedy/Lyndon Baines Johnson Civil Rights Center;
	and
	WHEREAS, Al Lipscomb stood strong against civil injustice,
	and his courage and resolution inspired others to take up the cause;
	opening doors for minority leaders in municipal government, he
	served as a mentor to many who entered public service; although he
	will be deeply missed by his loved ones and host of admirers, his
	vital contributions to his community and to social progress in
	Dallas will never be forgotten; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of
	Albert Louis Lipscomb and extend sincere condolences to the members
	of his family: to his wife, Lovie Marie Lipscomb; to his children,
	Jacquelyn McDonald and her husband, Jerry, Eyelette Lipscomb,
	Donette Zeno and her husband, Donald, Alva Smith, LaVette Dudley
	and her husband, Roderick, Noel Lipscomb, Jeffrey Lipscomb, and
	Jesse Lipscomb and his wife, Debra; to his 14 grandchildren; to his
	15 great-grandchildren; to his 2 great-great-grandchildren; to his
	brother, Thomas Lipscomb, and his wife, Nora; and to his many other
	relatives and friends; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
	Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Albert
	Louis Lipscomb.
	Davis of Dallas
	Johnson
	Mallory Caraway
	Giddings
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 177 was unanimously adopted by a rising
	vote of the House on June 27, 2011.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House