SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 175
	WHEREAS, The celebration of Black History Month in
	February 2025 provides an opportunity to recognize the rich
	cultural heritage of African Americans and the significant
	contributions they have made and are continuing to make in the
	Lone Star State; and
	WHEREAS, An event celebrating Black history was
	established in 1926 as a weeklong observance by Dr. Carter
	G. Woodson, an author and scholar whose parents had been
	enslaved; he sought a means of educating all U.S. citizens about
	African American culture and engendering pride among Black
	Americans; the tribute was expanded to a month in 1976 and was
	officially recognized by President Gerald Ford, who encouraged
	all Americans to join him "in tribute to Black History Month and
	the message of courage and perseverance it brings to all of us";
	and
	WHEREAS, People of African descent have a long history in
	Texas; in 1528, a Moor named Estevan accompanied the Spanish
	explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca on a trek across the land that
	would later become the Lone Star State; by the end of the 18th
	century, some 450 individuals of African origin lived in Spanish
	Texas, and in the early 1800s, many African Americans who had
	been enslaved in the American South crossed the Sabine River,
	seeking their freedom and settling in East Texas; and
	WHEREAS, In the 19th century, before emancipation, African
	Americans played an enormous role in producing the state's
	agricultural bounty and also worked as skilled artisans; and
	WHEREAS, Freed of their shackles at the end of the Civil
	War, Black citizens applied themselves to new realms of endeavor;
	many moved to urban centers, and in the years that followed,
	provided labor for new industries that were established; African
	Americans also excelled in tasks that ranged from ranching and
	military duty to service as state legislators; moreover, a people
	who just a few short years before had been held in bondage
	enrolled in schools and colleges as they sought a path to a better
	future and a means of coping with the difficult challenges that
	surrounded them; and
	WHEREAS, African American infantry and cavalry garrisoned
	forts in West Texas during the Indian Wars; known as "Buffalo
	Soldiers," they patrolled the frontier with the assistance of
	Seminole-Negro Indian scouts, built roads, and escorted mail
	carriers; Sergeant Emmanuel Stance, stationed at Fort McKavett,
	was the first African American who fought in the Indian Wars to be
	awarded the Medal of Honor; and
	WHEREAS, Since the early 1800s, African Americans have
	been involved in the cattle industry; one of the most famous
	Black native Texan cowboys was William Pickett, who became a Wild
	West rodeo performer and who is believed to have originated the
	bulldogging event; and
	WHEREAS, African Americans have been a significant part of
	the population of Texas for hundreds of years, and the
	celebration of Black History Month acknowledges and promotes the
	immeasurable benefits of living in a truly diverse society; now,
	therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th
	Legislature, hereby recognize February 2025 as Black History
	Month and encourage all citizens to learn more about the history
	and accomplishments of African Americans in the Lone Star State.
	West
	Alvarado Hagenbuch Kolkhorst
	Bettencourt Hall Menéndez
	Birdwell Hancock Middleton
	Blanco Hinojosa of Hidalgo Miles
	Campbell Hinojosa of Nueces Nichols
	Cook Huffman Parker
	Creighton Hughes Paxton
	Eckhardt Johnson Perry
	Flores King Sparks
	Gutierrez Zaffirini
	Patrick, President of the Senate
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on February 27, 2025.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate