| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 2253 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Harris, the first Black graduate of Texas |
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| 6 | 6 | | State University in San Marcos, paved the way for other students of |
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| 7 | 7 | | color to pursue higher education; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, A native of Smithville, Shirley Harris graduated |
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| 9 | 9 | | from Edwards High School in Gonzales as salutatorian; after |
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| 10 | 10 | | attending San Antonio College for two years, she transferred to |
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| 11 | 11 | | what was then known as Southwest Texas State College in 1965; two |
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| 12 | 12 | | years prior, a federal judge had officially ordered the school's |
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| 13 | 13 | | desegregation, and there were only a handful of Black students |
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| 14 | 14 | | enrolled when Ms. Harris arrived; she earned a bachelor's degree in |
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| 15 | 15 | | education on May 26, 1967, becoming the first Black person to |
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| 16 | 16 | | graduate from the school; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Following her graduation, Ms. Harris embarked on a |
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| 18 | 18 | | career as an elementary school teacher in the South San Antonio |
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| 19 | 19 | | Independent School District; after a year, she moved to Briscoe |
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| 20 | 20 | | Elementary School in San Antonio ISD, where she taught for more than |
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| 21 | 21 | | four decades before retiring in 2011; over the course of her 42-year |
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| 22 | 22 | | tenure, she made a positive difference in the lives of thousands of |
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| 23 | 23 | | young Texans; she passed away on March 31, 2018, at the age of 73; |
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| 24 | 24 | | and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, At a time when the aspirations of Black women were |
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| 26 | 26 | | impeded by racism, Shirley Harris fulfilled her ambition to obtain |
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| 27 | 27 | | a degree and to become a teacher, and her courage and fierce |
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| 28 | 28 | | determination are a source of lasting inspiration to countless men |
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| 29 | 29 | | and women across the Lone Star State and beyond; now, therefore, be |
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| 30 | 30 | | it |
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| 31 | 31 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 32 | 32 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life and legacy of Shirley |
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| 33 | 33 | | Harris; and, be it further |
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| 34 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 35 | 35 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 36 | 36 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of |
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| 37 | 37 | | Ms. Harris. |
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| 38 | 38 | | Zwiener |
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| 39 | 39 | | ______________________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 41 | 41 | | I certify that H.R. No. 2253 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 42 | 42 | | 26, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 43 | 43 | | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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