| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 279 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, Proud members of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity |
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| 3 | 3 | | are gathering at the State Capitol on February 27, 2017, and this |
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| 4 | 4 | | is a fitting opportunity to celebrate the fraternity's exceptional |
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| 5 | 5 | | legacy of civic engagement; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Established at Cornell University on December 4, |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha was the first intercollegiate Greek-letter |
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| 8 | 8 | | fraternity established by African Americans; founded by seven |
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| 9 | 9 | | men who came to be known as the "Jewels" of the organization, |
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| 10 | 10 | | Alpha Phi Alpha initially served as a study and support group for |
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| 11 | 11 | | minority students who were struggling against racial prejudice; |
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| 12 | 12 | | these early leaders laid the foundation for the fraternity's |
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| 13 | 13 | | principles of scholarship, fellowship, character, and the uplifting |
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| 14 | 14 | | of humanity; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, In the years that followed, Alpha Phi Alpha |
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| 16 | 16 | | chapters were formed at other colleges across the nation; while |
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| 17 | 17 | | the fraternity placed a strong emphasis on the academic |
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| 18 | 18 | | excellence of its members, it also expanded its focus to address |
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| 19 | 19 | | the educational, economic, political, and social injustices |
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| 20 | 20 | | faced by African Americans and people of color around the world; |
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| 21 | 21 | | over the decades, many former Alpha Phi Alpha members have stood |
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| 22 | 22 | | at the forefront of the fight for civil rights, including W. E. B. |
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| 23 | 23 | | Du Bois, Paul Robeson, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood |
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| 24 | 24 | | Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Edward Brooke, Andrew Young, |
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| 25 | 25 | | and William Gray; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has been an |
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| 27 | 27 | | interracial group since 1945 and now has chapters in five |
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| 28 | 28 | | regions in the United States; the fraternity has an especially rich |
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| 29 | 29 | | history in the Lone Star State, which has been home to three of |
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| 30 | 30 | | the organization's general presidents; in addition, a number of |
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| 31 | 31 | | prominent Texas leaders are Alpha Phi Alpha alumni, including |
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| 32 | 32 | | several members of the Texas Legislature; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Throughout its history, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity |
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| 34 | 34 | | has sought to foster a brotherhood of concerned citizens who |
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| 35 | 35 | | devote themselves to working for the greater good, and its |
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| 36 | 36 | | members may indeed reflect with pride on their organization's |
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| 37 | 37 | | noteworthy tradition of activism and achievement; now, |
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| 38 | 38 | | therefore, be it |
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| 39 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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| 40 | 40 | | Legislature, hereby recognize February 27, 2017, as Alpha Phi |
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| 41 | 41 | | Alpha Fraternity Day at the State Capitol and extend to the |
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| 42 | 42 | | visiting members sincere best wishes for continued success; and, |
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| 43 | 43 | | be it further |
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| 44 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the |
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| 45 | 45 | | fraternity as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Miles |
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| 47 | 47 | | ________________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | President of the Senate |
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| 49 | 49 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 50 | 50 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 51 | 51 | | the Senate on February 27, 2017. |
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| 52 | 52 | | ________________________________ |
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| 53 | 53 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 54 | 54 | | ________________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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