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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Texas State University community is mourning the |
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loss of Dr. Elvin Holt, professor emeritus of English, who passed |
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away on September 18, 2023, at the age of 77; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Naomi Holt Stredic and Aaron Stredic Sr., |
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Elvin Holt was born in Bay City on September 25, 1945; he earned a |
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bachelor's degree magna cum laude from Prairie View A&M University, |
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a master's degree from Texas State, and a doctoral degree from the |
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University of Kentucky; after joining the Texas State faculty in |
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1983, he became the first tenured Black professor in the Department |
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of English; his research and writing focused on African and African |
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American literature, cultural studies, and folklore; while |
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instilling appreciation for once-undervalued works, he both |
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challenged and nurtured his students, winning multiple teaching |
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awards; he received three fellowships from the National Endowment |
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for the Humanities, and he was named the 1989 Professor of the Year |
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by the Association of Black Students; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Holt was coeditor of Acting Up and Getting Down: |
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Plays by African American Texans and coauthor of Stages of Struggle |
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and Celebration: A Production History of Black Theatre in Texas; |
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during his 37-year career, he developed and taught Honors College |
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courses and served the university on numerous committees; he also |
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shared his vast knowledge of San Marcos's Black community as a |
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member of such local organizations as the Heritage Association of |
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San Marcos, the San Marcos Historic Preservation Commission, the |
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Hays County Historical Commission, and the LBJ MLK Crossroads |
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Memorial committee; he was a founding member and the |
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longest-serving president of the Calaboose African American |
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History Museum; following his retirement from academia in 2020, he |
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remained active as an archivist; both a museum scholarship and a |
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street on the TXST Round Rock campus were named in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, A trailblazing educator and inspiring mentor, Elvin |
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Holt will be deeply missed, but his legacy will continue to resonate |
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for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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Dr. Elvin Holt and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his |
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family: to his sisters, Flora Jackson, Nelda Stredic Jackson, and |
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Vivian Stredic; to his brother, Errol Stredic; and to his other |
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relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. Elvin |
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Holt. |