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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Lone Star State has benefited enormously from |
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the contributions of its Italian American residents; and |
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WHEREAS, During the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries, the |
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few Italians who came to Texas were mainly explorers, adventurers, |
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or missionaries; Italians began to play a larger role toward the end |
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of the 19th century, when Piedmontese made their homes in Montague |
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County and Sicilians settled in the lower Brazos valley and on the |
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Galveston County mainland; Modenese, Venetians, and Piedmontese |
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worked the coal mines at Thurber, and Italian financier Joseph |
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Telfener brought some 1,200 Lombards to help construct the New |
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York, Texas and Mexican Railway between Victoria and Rosenberg; and |
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WHEREAS, Most of the railway builders and coal miners moved |
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back to Italy or on to other places when their work was completed; |
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however, the Italian American community in the Brazos valley fanned |
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out into surrounding areas, and settlements in Houston, Galveston, |
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and San Antonio expanded rapidly; new residents founded churches, |
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newspapers, and benevolent-fraternal organizations, as well as |
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businesses; prominent Italian Americans of the 20th century include |
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bootmaker Sam Lucchese, sculptor Pompeo Coppini, rancher Antonio |
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Mateo Bruni, and agriculturalist-developer Biagio Varisco; the |
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towns of Bruni and Varisco and such names as Bruni Park, Varisco |
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Airport, Liggio Street, and Laneri Avenue are a testament to the |
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achievements of Italian Americans; and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, individuals of Italian descent |
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have excelled in all sectors of our society and economy, enriching |
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our cultural tapestry, enhancing our prosperity, and securing the |
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Lone Star State's reputation as a land of promise and possibility; |
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most recently, Italian Americans have made prominent contributions |
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throughout the state in such areas as aerospace, energy, |
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technology, science, research, and arts and culture, in addition to |
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construction and economic development projects; June 2 represents |
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an ideal date on which to honor all of those accomplishments, as |
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Italians around the world celebrate this day as Festa della |
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Repubblica to commemorate the 1946 referendum that ended the |
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monarchy in Italy and established a republic and to commemorate |
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over 160 years since the unification of Italy; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate June 2 as Italian Heritage Day; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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passed by the legislature. |