86R35226 BPG-D
 
  By: Davis of Dallas H.R. No. 1848
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Admired educator William Hayes Cotton of Dallas
  County passed away on May 9, 2019, at the age of 85; and
         WHEREAS, Born in Hammond on January 1, 1934, William Cotton
  attended the Hammond Colored School until his family moved to
  Dallas; he graduated from Lincoln High School and went on to
  complete his bachelor's degree in political science, history, and
  elementary education at Prairie View A&M University; later he
  earned a master's degree from North Texas State University and
  entered its doctoral program; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Cotton taught science in Bryan for two years and
  joined the Dallas Independent School District in 1957; after
  teaching at Colonial Elementary School, he served as principal of
  L. B. Lamar School and then Benjamin Banneker High; in 1967 he
  became the first African American administrator assigned to a
  predominantly Anglo school in the district as assistant principal
  of South Oak Cliff High, and two years later he was named principal;
  he became the district's first African American operations director
  in 1971, and he eventually served for 25 years as associate
  superintendent for management services before his retirement in
  2000; and
         WHEREAS, Deeply committed to education, Mr. Cotton served as
  the first African American president of the Dallas School
  Administrators Association; he was a founding treasurer of the
  Dallas Regional-National Alliance of Black School Educators and
  secretary of the Credit Union of Texas; among the numerous
  accolades he received were an honorary doctor of letters degree
  from Texas College, the Dallas Urban League Yvonne A. Ewell
  Excellence in Education Award, and the Texas Legislative Black
  Caucus Education Award; he further contributed to his community as
  a member of the Dallas Urban League, the NAACP, and Cedar Crest CME
  Church; and
         WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Cotton enjoyed the love
  and support of his wife, Imogene, and their children, Fleta,
  Moncita, Kamalia, and William, and he took great pride in his
  grandchildren, Regina, Courtney, Moriah, Caitlyn, and Cathryn and
  great-grandchildren, Kristopher, Ari, and Royal; and
         WHEREAS, While the death of William Cotton brings great
  sadness to his family and friends, he leaves behind a legacy that
  will long be treasured by all those who held him dear; now,
  therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of William Hayes
  Cotton and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; 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 William
  Cotton.