87S30530 BPG-D
 
  By: Turner of Tarrant H.R. No. 113
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Residents of Grand Prairie gather each year on
  Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate the important legacy of the
  civil rights leader at a parade sponsored by the Grand Prairie
  NAACP, the City of Grand Prairie Parks, Arts & Recreation
  Department, and the Grand Prairie Police Department; and
         WHEREAS, In 1983, the King Holiday Bill was signed into law,
  making the third Monday in January a federal holiday; the
  observance later became the only federal holiday also designated as
  a national day of service with the signing of legislation to
  encourage Americans to follow Dr. King's example by working
  together to improve their communities; and
         WHEREAS, The son of a Baptist minister, Martin Luther
  King Jr. earned his doctoral degree in theology; in 1955, he
  organized the Montgomery bus boycott, the first major protest of
  the civil rights movement, and he devoted himself wholeheartedly to
  the cause; he led marches across the South to direct America's
  attention to injustice and oppression, and although physical
  attacks were a constant threat, he upheld the powerful principle of
  nonviolent civil disobedience; and
         WHEREAS, Dr. King's soaring oratory inspired people across
  the country, and in 1963, at the massive March on Washington, he
  delivered an address for the ages, outlining his vision of a better
  America as the words "I have a dream" rang out over the crowd and
  into history; the following year brought the ratification of the
  24th Amendment, which abolished the poll tax, and the Civil Rights
  Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination in employment and
  education and outlawed segregation in public facilities; that
  October, Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; and
         WHEREAS, In observing this holiday, we focus not only on the
  legacy of Dr. King, but also on the need to continue his work in
  behalf of justice, peace, and equal rights for all; now, therefore,
  be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
  Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commemorate the annual
  Grand Prairie Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade and extend to the
  organizers and participants sincere appreciation for their
  contributions.