Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HR255 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.R. No. 255
2	2
3	3
4	4	R E S O L U T I O N
5	5	WHEREAS, Gertrudejane Holliday Stone has earned the
6	6	admiration of many fellow citizens through the contributions she
7	7	has made as a civil rights icon and a pillar of the Houston
8	8	community; and
9	9	WHEREAS, Mrs. Stone made history in December 1955, when she
10	10	refused to give up her seat to a White passenger on a public train,
11	11	unknowingly becoming part of the anti-segregation movement
12	12	initiated by Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama, several days
13	13	earlier; although her brave and heroic act was not widely known
14	14	outside of Houston, she went on to be recognized during a visit to
15	15	the White House in 2020 and was also honored by The Kelly Clarkson
16	16	Show in 2021; and
17	17	WHEREAS, A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville,
18	18	Tennessee, Mrs. Stone was also a trailblazer in Pennsylvania, where
19	19	she worked as a department store salesperson at a time when it was
20	20	largely unheard of for a Black person to do so; she was later
21	21	employed as a teacher in the Houston Independent School District
22	22	for about a decade before her retirement; and
23	23	WHEREAS, Over the years, this inspiring woman has volunteered
24	24	with numerous organizations, such as the Harris County Heritage
25	25	Society and the St. Elizabeth Hospital of Houston Foundation, which
26	26	was founded by her husband, the late Dr. John S. Stone; she has
27	27	served on the advisory board of Alley Theatre, on the executive
28	28	board of the Houston Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and
29	29	on various other boards and committees, in addition to providing
30	30	leadership as the first Black chair of the Houston Public Library
31	31	board and as cofounder of St. Mary's Catholic Church Federal Credit
32	32	Union; she was also instrumental in founding the National African
33	33	American Museum in Houston; and
34	34	WHEREAS, In acknowledgment of her volunteer work and her
35	35	significant contributions to the civil rights movement, Mrs. Stone
36	36	has received the Beautiful Activist Award from Brandeis University
37	37	and the title of Lady of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre
38	38	of Jerusalem, the highest honor bestowed upon a Catholic layperson
39	39	by papal invitation; and
40	40	WHEREAS, Gertrudejane Stone is a distinguished citizen who
41	41	has demonstrated remarkable courage in breaking down racial
42	42	barriers throughout her life, and her achievements are truly
43	43	deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be it
44	44	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
45	45	Legislature hereby honor Gertrudejane Holliday Stone for her civic
46	46	leadership and activism and extend to her sincere best wishes for
47	47	the future; and, be it further
48	48	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
49	49	prepared for Mrs. Stone as an expression of high regard by the Texas
50	50	House of Representatives.
51	51	Dutton
52	52	______________________________
53	53	Speaker of the House
54	54	I certify that H.R. No. 255 was adopted by the House on March
55	55	8, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, 2 present, not
56	56	voting.
57	57	______________________________
58	58	Chief Clerk of the House