H.C.R. No. 253
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Lady Bird Johnson, one of the nation's most beloved
first ladies, passed away on July 11, 2007, at the age of 94; and
WHEREAS, Born on December 22, 1912, in Karnack, the former
Claudia Alta Taylor was the third child of Thomas Jefferson Taylor
and Minnie Pattillo Taylor, and she was dubbed "Lady Bird" by her
nursemaid as a toddler; when she was five, her mother died and her
Aunt Effie subsequently stepped in to help raise her; and
WHEREAS, She graduated in 1928 from Marshall High School and
attended Saint Mary's Episcopal School for Girls in Dallas before
enrolling at The University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a
bachelor's degree in history in 1933 and a bachelor's of journalism
with honors in 1934; her plans to become a newspaper reporter were
diverted after she met Lyndon Baines Johnson, who was visiting
Austin on business in his role as a congressional secretary;
remarking later that she felt like a moth drawn to a flame, she
married him on November 17, 1934, within 10 weeks of their first
date; and
WHEREAS, By 1937, Mrs. Johnson was on the campaign trail in
support of her husband's bid for a Congressional seat, and not five
years later she was running his office while he served in the U.S.
Navy during World War II; at the same time, she demonstrated her
business acumen by purchasing a faltering Austin radio station with
an inheritance from her mother; she revived the station with her
tireless oversight and eventually expanded it into a multi-million
dollar broadcasting company that included a television station, a
cable television system, and several radio stations; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Johnson delivered stump speeches throughout
Texas in behalf of her husband's race for the U.S. Senate, and she
traveled more than 35,000 miles for the Kennedy/Johnson ticket,
including trips she organized with Ethel and Eunice Kennedy to
introduce Texans to the presidential candidate's family; following
the fateful turn of events that thrust her husband into the
presidency in November 1963, she stood by his side as he pushed a
bold and controversial agenda, and she later defended his policies
during a whistle-stop tour through the South, where she spoke with
characteristic calm to large and unruly crowds; breaking new ground
for a first lady when she campaigned on her own, there is no doubt
that she contributed to President Johnson's 1964 landslide victory,
which included six of the eight southern states that many expected
him to lose; and
WHEREAS, It was during Mrs. Johnson's second term as first
lady that she initiated a beautification project of the nation's
capital; raising public and private dollars and enlisting a team of
philanthropists and government officials, she guided the planting
of flowers and trees on the mall and in triangle parks all over the
city, and she pressed for several revitalization efforts; the local
actions were a prelude to what became the first major legislative
campaign ever commenced by a first lady; the Highway Beautification
Act of 1965 or, as it came to be known, "Lady Bird's Bill," called
for fewer billboards and junkyards along the highways and
dramatically improved the American landscape; and
WHEREAS, After returning to Texas in 1969, Mrs. Johnson
focused on enhancing her native state; she was the leading force
behind the development of a hike and bike trail in downtown Austin
that has become one of the city's most treasured public spaces, and
for 20 years she continued to encourage the beautification of the
state's roadways by recognizing highway districts for their use of
native plants and scenery; in 1982, on the occasion of her 70th
birthday, she founded the National Wildflower Research Center,
which was later renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and
associated with The University of Texas at Austin; and
WHEREAS, Along the way, Mrs. Johnson published A White House
Diary, an edited version of the diary she kept as first lady, played
a key role in planning for the LBJ Library and Museum and the LBJ
School of Public Affairs, served as a member of The University of
Texas System Board of Regents, and remained actively involved in
the LBJ Holding Company; although she lost President Johnson in
early 1973, the energy and passion with which she accomplished so
much recalled the momentum of the man who had swept her off her feet
decades earlier; her life was further enriched by her two
daughters, Lynda Bird and Luci Baines, who were born while their
father was a congressman, and by her numerous grandchildren and
great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Wholly committed to improving the world around her,
Lady Bird Johnson set an inspiring example of leadership and
vision, and her gentle kindness touched more lives than she could
ever know; of her enduring achievements, the miles and miles of
colorful wildflowers that brighten our cities and countryside
perhaps best evoke the memory of this exceptional woman; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby pay tribute to the remarkable life of Lady Bird Johnson; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of
Lady Bird Johnson.
McCall
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 253 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 28, 2009.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 253 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the Senate on May 29, 2009.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor