| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 554 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | In Memory |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | of |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | Paul Ragsdale |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes great pride |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | in paying tribute to the life and legacy of the late Paul |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Ragsdale; and |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Paul Ragsdale was a pioneering legislator who was |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | among the first African Americans to be elected to the Texas |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | House of Representatives since Reconstruction, and he |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | represented Dallas for seven terms in the Texas Legislature; and |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Over the course of his career in the Texas House |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | of Representatives, Mr. Ragsdale was a champion for minority |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | representation; he wrote legislation that created an office of |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | equal employment opportunity in the governor's office and played |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | a central role in the East Texas Project, which cleared the way |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | for the election of the first black county commissioners in |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | Anderson and Nacogdoches Counties; and |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, His experiences at The University of Texas played |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | a part in his determination to oppose segregation; he had been |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | refused membership in the Longhorn Band during the 1960s because |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | he was African American; and |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, He was still able to pursue his love of music, |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | however, when he joined the Escorts, a group that in 1965 became |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | the first integrated rock band to win the university's Battle of |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | the Bands; his bandmates, who cared more about his ability to |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | play the alto saxophone than the color of his skin, were Steve |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | Quinn, Don Eaves, Charlie Mast, Richard Speer, Robert Miner, and |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | Jerry Walton; and |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, The Escorts are holding a 50th anniversary |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | reunion of that milestone victory; despite the absence of |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | Mr. Ragsdale, who died in 2011, his adventurous spirit, his |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | passion for music, and his warm and enduring friendship will |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | doubtless be fondly remembered as band members recall those |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | times; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | Legislature, hereby honor the many achievements of the late Paul |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | Ragsdale and extend to the members of the Escorts best wishes for |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | a memorable 50th anniversary reunion; and, be it further |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | honor of the many contributions of Paul Ragsdale. |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | Nichols |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | ________________________________ |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | President of the Senate |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | I hereby certify that the |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | the Senate on April 13, 2015, by a |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | rising vote. |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | ________________________________ |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | Member, Texas Senate |
|---|