H.R. No. 381
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Reverend R. A. Callies, Sr., of San Antonio has
devoted much of his life to paying tribute to distinguished civil
rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and
WHEREAS, Born in El Campo on September 12, 1929, Reverend
Callies earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of
Arkansas, served two years in the U.S. Army, and embarked on dual
careers in the ministry and education; the founder and longtime
pastor of First Gethsemane Baptist Church in San Antonio, Reverend
Callies also taught for more than 35 years at a San Antonio school
once known as James W. Riley, Jr., Middle School; he was
instrumental in persuading the San Antonio Independent School
District to rename that campus Martin Luther King, Jr., Middle
School; and
WHEREAS, An important catalyst in the local movement to
commemorate Dr. King, Reverend Callies led his family and a few
close friends through the East Side in San Antonio's first MLK March
in 1972; thanks to his perseverance through the early years, this
small function eventually grew to become a city-sponsored event and
the largest such march in the country, with an estimated 100,000
individuals participating; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in the 1970s, Reverend Callies led the
drive to erect a statue in Dr. King's honor; assisted by his team of
volunteers, he raised more than $9,000 over the course of some five
years; in 1982, the statue was dedicated as the Monument of
Brotherhood at the intersection of East Houston Street and North
New Braunfels Avenue, a site that has been designated MLK Plaza at
his behest; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Callies also championed the development of
Martin Luther King Park on the city's East Side, and he successfully
campaigned to change the name of the street along the south side of
the park to Martin Luther King Drive, to extend MLK Drive to Lord
Road, and to designate the bridge in the 3500 block of MLK Drive as
the MLK Freedom Bridge; and
WHEREAS, Joining forces with activists across Texas,
Reverend Callies lobbied to secure the recognition of Martin Luther
King, Jr., Day as a state holiday, a goal that was ultimately
realized in 1992; and
WHEREAS, In all his undertakings, Reverend Callies has
rejoiced in the support of his loving wife, Eunice, and their
children, Aaron, Arlington, Doris, Yvette, and Phyllis; and
WHEREAS, The recipient of many accolades, Reverend Callies
holds three honorary doctorates; moreover, the San Antonio MLK
Commission presented him with its first annual MLK Distinguished
Achievement Award in 1987; in January 2008, the city further
recognized his contributions with a plaque fittingly placed in MLK
Plaza, near the foot of the King monument; and
WHEREAS, R. A. Callies has helped to preserve the legacy of a
great American, providing Texans with lasting reminders of Dr.
King's pursuit of freedom and brotherhood; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor the Reverend R. A. Callies, Sr., for his
civic leadership and extend to him profound appreciation for his
role in perpetuating the ideals of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Reverend Callies as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
McClendon
Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 381 was adopted by the House on
February 26, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas