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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Missouri City is kicking off its Black History Month |
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| 6 | 7 | | festivities with a celebration on February 7, 2015, providing area |
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| 7 | 8 | | residents an opportunity to recognize the rich cultural heritage of |
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| 8 | 9 | | African Americans and the contributions they have made and are |
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| 9 | 10 | | making to the State of Texas and the world at large; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, A weeklong observance focusing on black history was |
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| 11 | 12 | | established in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an author and scholar |
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| 12 | 13 | | and the son of former slaves, who sought a means of educating |
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| 13 | 14 | | non-black Americans about African American culture and of |
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| 14 | 15 | | engendering pride among black Americans; the tribute was expanded |
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| 15 | 16 | | to a month in 1976 and was officially recognized by President Gerald |
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| 16 | 17 | | Ford, who encouraged all Americans to celebrate "Black History |
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| 17 | 18 | | Month and the message of courage and perseverance it brings to all |
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| 18 | 19 | | of us"; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, African Americans have constituted a significant |
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| 20 | 21 | | part of the population of Texas for hundreds of years; in the 19th |
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| 21 | 22 | | century, before emancipation, they played an enormous role in |
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| 22 | 23 | | producing this state's agricultural bounty and also worked as |
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| 23 | 24 | | skilled artisans; after the Civil War, many moved to urban centers, |
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| 24 | 25 | | and in the years that followed, they provided manpower for new |
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| 25 | 26 | | industries that were being established; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, African American infantry and cavalry garrisoned |
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| 27 | 28 | | forts in West Texas during the Indian Wars; known as "Buffalo |
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| 28 | 29 | | Soldiers," they patrolled the frontier with the assistance of black |
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| 29 | 30 | | Seminole Indian scouts, built roads, and escorted mail carriers; |
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| 30 | 31 | | Sergeant Emmanuel Stance, stationed at Fort McKavett, was the first |
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| 31 | 32 | | African American who fought in the Indian Wars to be awarded the |
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| 32 | 33 | | Medal of Honor; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Since the early 1800s, African Americans have been |
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| 34 | 35 | | involved in the cattle industry; one of the most famous black Texan |
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| 35 | 36 | | cowboys was William Pickett, who became a Wild West rodeo performer |
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| 36 | 37 | | and who is believed to have originated the bulldogging event; and |
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| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, In the mid-20th century, African Americans in Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | substantially furthered the civil rights movement by filing and |
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| 39 | 40 | | winning lawsuits that outlawed the white primary and that helped to |
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| 40 | 41 | | integrate graduate and professional schools; today, influential |
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| 41 | 42 | | African American leaders continue to follow in the footsteps of |
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| 42 | 43 | | their predecessors, taking their rightful place in the public arena |
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| 43 | 44 | | and promoting social justice; and |
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| 44 | 45 | | WHEREAS, The contributions of African Americans in the nation |
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| 45 | 46 | | at large not only have impacted every facet of life in this country |
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| 46 | 47 | | but also have had an influence around the globe; among their most |
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| 47 | 48 | | notable but perhaps least-known achievements have been advances in |
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| 48 | 49 | | science and technology; the long list of those who have |
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| 49 | 50 | | distinguished themselves in these fields includes Alexander Miles, |
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| 50 | 51 | | who developed the automated elevator door, Garrett Morgan, who |
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| 51 | 52 | | invented the gas mask and the traffic signal, Frederick Jones, who |
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| 52 | 53 | | developed refrigerated trucks and railroad cars, Dr. Charles Drew, |
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| 53 | 54 | | who developed a technique for preserving plasma and who established |
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| 54 | 55 | | blood banks across Europe and the Pacific during World War II, |
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| 55 | 56 | | saving the lives of countless American soldiers and sailors, and |
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| 56 | 57 | | Dr. Patricia E. Bath, who developed a method of eye surgery to |
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| 57 | 58 | | remove cataracts; and |
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| 58 | 59 | | WHEREAS, Black History Month highlights the myriad ways in |
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| 59 | 60 | | which African Americans have helped shape this nation over the |
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| 60 | 61 | | course of four centuries, and this celebration acknowledges and |
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| 61 | 62 | | promotes the immeasurable benefits of living in a truly diverse |
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| 62 | 63 | | society; now, therefore, be it |
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| 63 | 64 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 64 | 65 | | Legislature hereby recognize the City of Missouri City for its |
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| 65 | 66 | | Black History Month celebration and encourage all citizens to learn |
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| 66 | 67 | | more about the history of the African diaspora and about the |
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| 67 | 68 | | accomplishments of African Americans. |
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