H.R. No. 1215
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Blackwell School Alliance secured designation
of the Blackwell School in Marfa as a National Historic Site in
October 2022; and
WHEREAS, Opened in 1909, in an era of de facto segregation of
Mexican Americans, the school served local students until 1965, a
year after passage of the Civil Rights Act, when Marfa integrated
its schools; the faculty was largely White, and children could be
punished harshly for speaking Spanish, even though for some, it was
not only their native language, but their only language; the school
was supplied with hand-me-down books and other equipment from Marfa
Elementary, the school for Whites; and
WHEREAS, Alumni of Blackwell School learned in 2006 that the
school district planned to tear down or sell the nearly century-old
one-room adobe schoolhouse; they began organizing to save the
structure, forming the Blackwell School Alliance in 2007; joined by
other community advocates, they cleaned up the building and
fundraised to make repairs; they went on to seek recognition for the
school from the Texas Historical Commission, which was granted in
2010; nine years later, their efforts led to its inclusion in the
National Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, The members of the alliance have worked tirelessly
to document and preserve the school's history, partnering with
universities, state agencies, private foundations, the City of
Marfa, and individuals; in addition, they have garnered support
from elected officials, and in 2021, a bipartisan group of
representatives filed the Blackwell School National Historic Site
Act; it easily passed both chambers of Congress, and President Joe
Biden signed it into law on October 17, 2022, authorizing the
designation of the site as a unit of the National Park Service; and
WHEREAS, Today, the Blackwell School is one of the very few
National Historic Sites devoted specifically to the commemoration
of Latino heritage; the original school building functions as a
museum and community center, with a replica classroom featuring
rows of old desks; moreover, the Blackwell School Alliance has
assembled a wealth of artifacts, from trophies, sports uniforms,
photographs, and old letters to the wooden paddle once used to
discipline children; the site also includes the 1927 Band Hall; and
WHEREAS, Through their hard work and many years of grassroots
advocacy, the members of the Blackwell School Alliance have ensured
lasting protection of an authentic setting to commemorate and
interpret the Mexican American experience, the culture of the
borderlands, and the sometimes painful history of progress in our
society; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 22, 2023, as Blackwell School
Day at the State Capitol and commend the Blackwell School Alliance
for its outstanding contributions.
Morales of Maverick
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1215 was adopted by the House on May
6, 2023, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House