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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Gertrudejane Holliday Stone has earned the |
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admiration of many fellow citizens through the contributions she |
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has made as a civil rights icon and a pillar of the Houston |
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community; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Stone made history in December 1955, when she |
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refused to give up her seat to a White passenger on a public train, |
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unknowingly becoming part of the anti-segregation movement |
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initiated by Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama, several days |
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earlier; although her brave and heroic act was not widely known |
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outside of Houston, she went on to be recognized during a visit to |
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the White House in 2020 and was also honored by The Kelly Clarkson |
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Show in 2021; and |
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WHEREAS, A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, |
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Tennessee, Mrs. Stone was also a trailblazer in Pennsylvania, where |
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she worked as a department store salesperson at a time when it was |
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largely unheard of for a Black person to do so; she was later |
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employed as a teacher in the Houston Independent School District |
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for about a decade before her retirement; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, this inspiring woman has volunteered |
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with numerous organizations, such as the Harris County Heritage |
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Society and the St. Elizabeth Hospital of Houston Foundation, which |
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was founded by her husband, the late Dr. John S. Stone; she has |
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served on the advisory board of Alley Theatre, on the executive |
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board of the Houston Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and |
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on various other boards and committees, in addition to providing |
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leadership as the first Black chair of the Houston Public Library |
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board and as cofounder of St. Mary's Catholic Church Federal Credit |
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Union; she was also instrumental in founding the National African |
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American Museum in Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, In acknowledgment of her volunteer work and her |
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significant contributions to the civil rights movement, Mrs. Stone |
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has received the Beautiful Activist Award from Brandeis University |
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and the title of Lady of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre |
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of Jerusalem, the highest honor bestowed upon a Catholic layperson |
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by papal invitation; and |
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WHEREAS, Gertrudejane Stone is a distinguished citizen who |
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has demonstrated remarkable courage in breaking down racial |
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barriers throughout her life, and her achievements are truly |
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deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Gertrudejane Holliday Stone for her civic |
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leadership and activism and extend to her sincere best wishes for |
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the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Stone as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |