82R28354 RYA-D
By: Garza H.R. No. 2391
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dr. Felix D. Almaraz, Jr., the Peter T. Flawn
Distinguished Professor of Borderlands History at The University of
Texas at San Antonio, is retiring in August 2011, bringing to a
close his illustrious career in higher education; and
WHEREAS, A noted teacher and scholar, Dr. Almaraz is an
expert on the history of Texas, San Antonio, the Borderlands,
colonial Latin America, and imperial and modern Spain, and his
extensive research and writing have done much to increase our
understanding of and appreciation for this state's Hispanic
heritage; and
WHEREAS, A native of San Antonio, Dr. Almaraz obtained an
associate of arts degree from San Antonio College in 1957 and then
attended St. Mary's University, where he graduated magna cum laude
with a bachelor of arts degree in 1959 and earned a master of arts
degree in 1962; he received his Ph.D. from the University of New
Mexico in 1968; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Almaraz began his career as a history and
government teacher in the Harlandale Independent School District in
1960; he subsequently worked as a historical information analyst
with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission at Los Alamos, New Mexico, in
1966 and as director of the South San Antonio Independent School
District Bilingual Education Center from 1970 to 1973 before
joining the faculty at UTSA; over the years, he has also held
teaching appointments at St. Mary's University, Pan American
College, and The University of Texas at Austin; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Almaraz has edited and compiled a number of
publications and has written numerous articles and essays; he is
the author of several published books, including Tragic Cavalier:
Governor Manuel Salcedo of Texas, 1808-1813, Crossroad of Empire:
The Church and State on the Rio Grande Frontier of Coahuila and
Texas, 1700-1821, and The San Antonio Missions and Their System of
Land Tenure; his biography of the historian Carlos Eduardo
Castaneda, titled Knight without Armor, won the Spur Award for Best
Western Nonfiction-Biography from the Western Writers of America
and garnered tributes from the Catholic Historical Society and the
American Association for State and Local History; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan has given generously of his time
and expertise to advance the work of many organizations; he has
served as chair and vice chair of the Bexar County Historical
Commission and as a member of the Texas State Historical Records
Advisory Board, the Historical Representation Advisory Committee
of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, and the San
Antonio Missions National Historical Park Advisory Commission; he
has also held the offices of president and vice president of the
Texas State Historical Association and president of the Texas
Catholic Historical Society; and
WHEREAS, Professor Almaraz has earned myriad accolades
during his highly accomplished career, among them honors from the
governments of Spain and Mexico, appointment as a Senior Fulbright
Scholar in the Republic of Argentina, and induction as a Fellow of
the Texas State Historical Association and as a member of the Texas
Institute of Letters; the UTSA Alumni Association has presented him
with its Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, and UTSA has
conferred on him the President's Distinguished Achievement Award;
in 2005, the university named Dr. Almaraz a Peter T. Flawn
Distinguished Professor; and
WHEREAS, Highly respected by his peers and his students, Dr.
Felix D. Almaraz, Jr., has forged a body of work that has
contributed significantly to our knowledge of Texas and Borderlands
history, and he may reflect with justifiable pride on an
extraordinary record of accomplishments; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Felix D. Almaraz, Jr., on his
retirement from The University of Texas at San Antonio and extend to
him sincere gratitude for his exemplary service; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Dr. Almaraz as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.