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