H.R. No. 905
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The people of San Antonio lost a dedicated champion
of civil rights and an inspiring religious and community leader
with the death of the Reverend Claude William Black, Jr., on March
13, 2009, at the age of 92; and
WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio on November 28, 1916, Claude
Black, Jr., was the oldest child of Cora and Claude Black, Sr.; he
graduated from Morehouse College and subsequently earned a master
of divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School; exposed
to political organizing through his father, who served as vice
president of the local Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, he
became active in the community in the early 1940s; he founded the
San Antonio Mother's Service Organization to encourage positive
youth development, and it became the first African American group
of Christian women to get a state charter for a local club; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Black continued his activism as the civil
rights movement got under way, leading and organizing marches
around the state; in March 1960, he urged city officials to
integrate local lunch counters, and San Antonio became the first
major city in the South to break this barrier without
demonstrations; he was an associate of Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Thurgood Marshall, A. Philip Randolph, and Adam Clayton Powell,
Jr., and he was invited by President Lyndon B. Johnson to attend the
White House Conference on Civil Rights in 1966; and
WHEREAS, Even as many of the movement's goals were realized,
this esteemed Texan remained a vital advocate for San Antonio's
African American population; he was elected to the city council in
the early 1970s and went on to become the city's first African
American mayor pro tem; a decade later, he founded a corporation to
help east side residents obtain suitable housing, and in 1995, he
was appointed a delegate to the White House Council on Aging by
President Bill Clinton; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Black further distinguished himself as the
pastor of San Antonio's historic Mount Zion First Baptist Church
and, under his guidance, the church became known for its numerous
public outreach efforts; his legacy includes the development of two
neighborhood day-care centers, an apartment complex for seniors,
and the city's only financial institution owned by an African
American church; moreover, when the Mount Zion sanctuary was
destroyed by arson in 1974, Reverend Black led members through the
rebuilding process, and a new sanctuary was completed the next
year; by the time of his retirement in 1998, he had served the
church for nearly half a century; and
WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Reverend Black enjoyed the
love and support of his beloved wife, ZerNona, with whom he shared
59 years before her death in 2005; the couple raised two children,
Stewart and Joyce, and welcomed six grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren into their family; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Black was recognized for his commitment to
civil rights with the 1991 MLK Distinguished Achievement Award from
the City of San Antonio, and the city also named an east side
community center in his honor; before his death, he was notified of
his selection for the prestigious Testament of Hope Award, given in
tribute to an outstanding community leader; his grandson, Taj
Matthews, and other family members, accepted the award on his
behalf at the second annual Realizing the Dream Award Celebration,
hosted by Martin Luther King III; and
WHEREAS, With his lifelong devotion to justice and equality,
Claude Black made a profound difference in the city of San Antonio
and beyond, and he leaves behind a record of achievement that will
continue to resonate for many years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor the memory of the Reverend Claude William
Black, Jr., and extend sincere sympathy to his family: to his
grandchildren, Taj Matthews, Chantey Matthews, and Claude
Williams, and their families; to his sister, Mary Etta Black Deas;
and to his many admirers across the Lone Star State; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Reverend
Black.
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. 905 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 28, 2009.
______________________________
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