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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Labor union rights advocate and dedicated civic |
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leader John W. Bland of Houston has made a lasting and positive |
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difference in Texas and beyond; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of San Augustine, John Bland was born on |
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March 20, 1940; he graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School in |
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Houston and attended Texas Southern University, where he studied |
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business education; on March 4, 1960, while a student at TSU, |
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Mr. Bland took part in the first sit-in to be staged in Houston, and |
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he soon became a founding member of the Progressive Youth |
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Association, which was instrumental in securing the integration of |
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public accommodations in the Bayou City; during his tenure with the |
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PYA, Mr. Bland also campaigned for the hiring of African Americans |
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as clerks and salespeople at major retail stores, such as Foley's, |
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Walgreens, and J. C. Penney; and |
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WHEREAS, After graduating from college, Mr. Bland joined |
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HouTran, now known as Metro, as a bus operator and became active in |
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Transport Workers Union of America Local 260, which he served as |
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steward, vice president, secretary-treasurer, international |
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organizer, and representative; passionate about protecting the |
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rights of workers, Mr. Bland has organized transportation |
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employees in the Houston, Aldine, North Forest, Dayton, Lufkin, |
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Humble, Conroe, and Spring Independent School Districts, as well as |
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in the El Paso ISD and in several West Texas school districts; he |
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currently serves on the national TWU Transit Division staff as an |
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international vice president and as deputy director; in addition, |
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he serves as Texas vice president of the A. Philip Randolph |
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Institute, as vice president of the Texas State AFL-CIO, and as |
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president of the Houston chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade |
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Unionists; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Bland has long played an active role in civic |
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affairs as well; a precinct judge for more than 30 years, he has |
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held a seat on the Houston Police Department Citizen Review |
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Committee, and he currently serves as vice president of the |
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Summerwood Homeowners Association board; he also gives generously |
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of his time and talents to Abundant Faith Baptist Church, where he |
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is the administrator, chair of trustees, and a deacon; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Bland has enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife of 50 years, Betty Davis Bland; they are the |
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proud parents of two daughters, Dr. Debbie Bland Nicholson and |
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Fayetta Bland, and they have been delighted to welcome into their |
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family their grandchild, Jordan Nicholson; and |
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WHEREAS, John Bland has devoted his life to the pursuit of |
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social and economic justice, and he is indeed deserving of |
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recognition for his spirited, unflagging efforts in behalf of his |
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fellow citizens; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor John W. Bland for his outstanding |
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contributions as a labor advocate, civil rights champion, and |
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engaged citizen and extend to him sincere best wishes for the |
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future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Bland as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |