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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Twelve members of the Prairie View A&M University |
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| 6 | 7 | | Marching Storm band have been selected to perform with the 369th |
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| 7 | 8 | | Experience World War I Centennial Band; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The 369th Infantry Regiment was a legendary |
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| 9 | 10 | | all-black unit that gained renown during World War I; originally |
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| 10 | 11 | | known as the 15th New York National Guard Regiment, it was called to |
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| 11 | 12 | | active duty in July 1917 and deployed to Europe six months later; |
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| 12 | 13 | | assigned in April 1918 to the French Army, the regiment |
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| 13 | 14 | | subsequently served 191 days in the trenches, earning the name the |
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| 14 | 15 | | "Harlem Hellfighters" for the courage and tenacity demonstrated by |
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| 15 | 16 | | its members in combat and becoming one of the most decorated |
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| 16 | 17 | | American units of the Great War; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, James Reese Europe, a celebrated ragtime and jazz |
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| 18 | 19 | | musician, served as an officer in the 369th, and he organized its |
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| 19 | 20 | | regimental band, recruiting musicians both at home in the States |
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| 20 | 21 | | and in Puerto Rico; in addition to playing for the troops, the band |
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| 21 | 22 | | performed extensively for the public and was one of the first |
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| 22 | 23 | | ensembles to introduce jazz to European audiences; it also made a |
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| 23 | 24 | | number of influential recordings for the French record label Pathé, |
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| 24 | 25 | | and following the war, it toured major cities in the United States; |
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| 25 | 26 | | and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, The 369th Experience World War I Centennial Band is |
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| 27 | 28 | | one of a number of projects endorsed by this country's World War I |
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| 28 | 29 | | Centennial Commission; led by Dr. Isrea Butler of the University of |
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| 29 | 30 | | Maryland Eastern Shore with the assistance of executive producer |
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| 30 | 31 | | Dr. Stephany B. Neal, the band is bringing together talented young |
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| 31 | 32 | | musicians from across the nation to re-create the unique sound of |
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| 32 | 33 | | Lieutenant Europe's famed group; following an initial performance |
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| 33 | 34 | | in New York during the International Historic Brass Symposium in |
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| 34 | 35 | | July 2017, the 369th Experience will perform over the next two years |
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| 35 | 36 | | at venues throughout the United States and Europe; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, The members of the PVAMU Marching Storm who have |
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| 37 | 38 | | been selected for the 369th Experience band are tuba players |
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| 38 | 39 | | Dominique Burton, Isaac Dodoo, and Jacob Paul Tatum, trombonist |
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| 39 | 40 | | Stanico Knowles, trumpeters David Burrows, David Otinwa, Craignal |
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| 40 | 41 | | Wright, and Aaron Cossé, tenor saxophonist Jarrod Henry, euphonium |
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| 41 | 42 | | player Josue Canizales, and saxophonists Christopher Quiroz and |
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| 42 | 43 | | Shawn Smith; and |
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| 43 | 44 | | WHEREAS, This commemorative undertaking both highlights the |
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| 44 | 45 | | honored place that the 369th holds in the annals of World War I and |
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| 45 | 46 | | celebrates the significant contribution that its regimental band |
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| 46 | 47 | | made to the history of jazz, and these exceptional musicians from |
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| 47 | 48 | | Prairie View A&M may indeed take pride in joining this prestigious |
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| 48 | 49 | | endeavor; now, therefore, be it |
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| 49 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 50 | 51 | | Legislature hereby congratulate the members of the Prairie View A&M |
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| 51 | 52 | | University Marching Storm who have been selected to the 369th |
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| 52 | 53 | | Experience World War I Centennial Band and extend to them sincere |
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| 53 | 54 | | best wishes for continued success in all their endeavors; and, be it |
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| 54 | 55 | | further |
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| 55 | 56 | | RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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| 56 | 57 | | for the band members as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 57 | 58 | | House of Representatives. |
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