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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud members of First Shiloh Missionary Baptist |
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Church in Houston are gathering on March 15, 2015, to dedicate a |
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Texas Historical Marker that honors this venerable place of |
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worship; and |
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WHEREAS, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church was established in |
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1891 by former residents of Shreveport, Louisiana, who had |
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relocated to Houston following a flood; one of the earliest African |
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American Baptist churches in the Fifth Ward, "The Louisiana |
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Church," as it was commonly known, initially met in private homes |
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and then rented a neighborhood hall for services; subsequently, the |
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members purchased a site on Providence Street, where they occupied |
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a remodeled house before building a stately stone edifice; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1953, the City of Houston bought the Providence |
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Street property for highway construction; the church found a new |
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site on Lyons Avenue and hired John S. Chase Jr., the first African |
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American architect licensed in Texas, to design and build a |
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sanctuary; on June 12, 1955, the congregation moved into its new |
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home, and the church's name was changed to First Shiloh Missionary |
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Baptist; and |
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WHEREAS, Since its inception, the church has benefited from |
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the dedicated efforts of many outstanding members of the clergy, |
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including Pastor B. H. Roberts, who served the congregation for 35 |
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years; over the course of its history, the church has counted among |
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its members such prominent figures as Louise Ozelle Martin, who ran |
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a photography school and used her camera to chronicle black society |
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in Houston, and Catherine Adams, whose work as a volunteer inspired |
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the city to name a park in her honor; and |
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WHEREAS, For 124 years, First Shiloh Missionary Baptist |
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Church has been a source of inspiration and guidance to area |
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residents, and this recognition from the Texas Historical |
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Commission is a fitting tribute to its rich and storied past and to |
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the significant role it has played in the community; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of the Texas |
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Historical Marker at First Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in |
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Houston and extend to the church's clergy, congregation, and guests |
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sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable event; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the church as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |