| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
| |
|
|
WHEREAS, Americans of Czech ancestry celebrate their |
|
|
cultural heritage with events throughout the year, and many Texans |
|
|
are observing Czech Heritage Day in Texas on September 30, 2017; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Throughout its history, Texas has greatly benefited |
|
|
from the many significant contributions of individuals of Czech |
|
|
descent; immigrants from what is today known as the Czech Republic |
|
|
began arriving in Texas in the early 1800s, seeking economic |
|
|
prosperity and fleeing from political and religious persecution |
|
|
within the Austrian Empire; in 1850, Josef Arnost Bergmann, a Czech |
|
|
Protestant minister, traveled to Texas with his family and settled |
|
|
in Cat Spring; he sent word back to his homeland of the freedom and |
|
|
opportunity he'd found, and soon many more Czechs began making the |
|
|
Atlantic voyage toward the Port of Galveston; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In the decades that followed, Czech communities were |
|
|
established across Central Texas, especially in Austin, Fayette, |
|
|
Lavaca, and Washington Counties and throughout the Blackland |
|
|
Prairie region, where productive farmland was plentiful; Czech |
|
|
immigration to Texas continued to grow through the turn of the |
|
|
century, with the number of foreign-born Czechs in Texas reaching a |
|
|
peak of just over 15,000 in 1910; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The Czech people carried with them a rich culture |
|
|
and deeply held traditions, including a strong Catholic faith, |
|
|
close-knit family units, and distinctive cuisine, folk art, and |
|
|
music; proud of their native language, they promoted the study of |
|
|
Czech among their children and supported a thriving journalism |
|
|
industry that saw the publication of more than 30 Czech-language |
|
|
newspapers and periodicals in Texas; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Thousands of men and women of Czech origin or |
|
|
ancestry have made their home in Texas, playing a vital role in the |
|
|
social, economic, and civic development of the Lone Star State; |
|
|
now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize September 30, 2017, as Czech Heritage |
|
|
Day in Texas and honor the contributions of Czechs and people of |
|
|
Czech descent to this state. |
| |
|
|
White |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 1229 was adopted by the House on April |
|
|
13, 2017, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |