| 1 | 1 | | 82R24008 BPG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Parker H.C.R. No. 144 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Lone Star State has benefited enormously from |
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| 7 | 7 | | the contributions of its Italian American residents; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, During the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries, the |
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| 9 | 9 | | few Italians who came to Texas were mainly explorers, adventurers, |
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| 10 | 10 | | or missionaries; Italians began to play a larger role toward the end |
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| 11 | 11 | | of the 19th century, when Piedmontese made their homes in Montague |
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| 12 | 12 | | County and Sicilians settled in the lower Brazos valley and on the |
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| 13 | 13 | | Galveston County mainland; Modenese, Venetians, and Piedmontese |
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| 14 | 14 | | worked the coal mines at Thurber, and Italian financier Joseph |
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| 15 | 15 | | Telfener brought some 1,200 Lombards to help construct the New |
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| 16 | 16 | | York, Texas and Mexican Railway between Victoria and Rosenberg; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Most of the railway builders and coal miners moved |
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| 18 | 18 | | back to Italy or on to other places when their work was completed; |
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| 19 | 19 | | however, the Italian American community in the Brazos valley fanned |
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| 20 | 20 | | out into surrounding areas, and settlements in Houston, Galveston, |
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| 21 | 21 | | and San Antonio expanded rapidly; new residents founded churches, |
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| 22 | 22 | | newspapers, and benevolent-fraternal organizations, as well as |
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| 23 | 23 | | businesses; prominent Italian Americans of the 20th century include |
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| 24 | 24 | | bootmaker Sam Lucchese, sculptor Pompeo Coppini, rancher Antonio |
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| 25 | 25 | | Mateo Bruni, and agriculturalist-developer Biagio Varisco; the |
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| 26 | 26 | | towns of Bruni and Varisco and such names as Bruni Park, Varisco |
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| 27 | 27 | | Airport, Liggio Street, and Laneri Avenue are a testament to the |
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| 28 | 28 | | achievements of Italian Americans; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Through the years, individuals of Italian descent |
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| 30 | 30 | | have excelled in all sectors of our society and economy, enriching |
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| 31 | 31 | | our cultural tapestry, enhancing our prosperity, and securing the |
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| 32 | 32 | | Lone Star State's reputation as a land of promise and possibility; |
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| 33 | 33 | | June 2 represents an ideal date on which to honor those |
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| 34 | 34 | | accomplishments, as Italians around the world celebrate this day as |
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| 35 | 35 | | Festa della Repubblica to commemorate the 1946 referendum that |
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| 36 | 36 | | ended the monarchy in Italy and established a republic; now, |
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| 37 | 37 | | therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 39 | 39 | | hereby designate June 2 as Italian Heritage Day; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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| 41 | 41 | | 391.004(d), Government Code, the designation expires on the 10th |
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| 42 | 42 | | anniversary of the date this resolution is passed by the |
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| 43 | 43 | | legislature. |
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