| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 335 |
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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, The City of Port Arthur has been steeped in Cajun |
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| 6 | 6 | | culture for nearly a century; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, Located in the southeastern corner of Texas, Port |
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| 8 | 8 | | Arthur is a close neighbor to the Louisiana bayou region where the |
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| 9 | 9 | | Acadians, or Cajuns, settled in the mid-1700s after being forced |
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| 10 | 10 | | out of Nova Scotia; in 1927, the Great Mississippi Flood drove tens |
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| 11 | 11 | | of thousands from their homes in the Acadiana parishes of |
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| 12 | 12 | | Louisiana, and many of those displaced made their way to Port |
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| 13 | 13 | | Arthur, drawn by the ample employment opportunities in the |
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| 14 | 14 | | burgeoning petroleum industry and other sectors of the coastal |
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| 15 | 15 | | economy; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Louisiana Cajuns brought their distinctive culture, |
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| 17 | 17 | | which took root and flourished in their adopted city; local cuisine |
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| 18 | 18 | | acquired a Cajun flavor, with a boost from the family that opened |
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| 19 | 19 | | Judice's French Market in 1927; the restaurant helped popularize |
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| 20 | 20 | | such delicacies as crawfish, gumbo, and hot boudin, and its |
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| 21 | 21 | | longtime spokesman, A. J. Judice, "the Crazy Frenchman," became a |
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| 22 | 22 | | beloved ambassador of Cajun heritage; among other achievements, he |
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| 23 | 23 | | served as the impresario of the improbable pastime of crawfish |
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| 24 | 24 | | racing, which led to his tongue-in-cheek appointment as the sport's |
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| 25 | 25 | | commissioner by Texas governor Preston Smith in the early 1960s; |
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| 26 | 26 | | Port Arthur's Cajun community was also home to whiskey distiller |
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| 27 | 27 | | and entrepreneur Jack LaBove, who helped the city survive the dark |
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| 28 | 28 | | days of Prohibition; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Renowned for their love of music, Port Arthur |
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| 30 | 30 | | residents danced to such artists as Harry Choates, the "Godfather |
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| 31 | 31 | | of Cajun Music" and the "Fiddle King of Cajun Swing," whose 1946 |
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| 32 | 32 | | recording of "Jole Blon" is considered iconic; favorite venues |
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| 33 | 33 | | included the Rodair Club, which showcased the music and nurtured |
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| 34 | 34 | | aspiring musicians such as accordionist Jude Moreau; today, younger |
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| 35 | 35 | | players like Donovan Bourque continue the tradition, keeping the |
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| 36 | 36 | | infectious Cajun rhythm part of the city's soundtrack; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Warm and friendly Cajun hospitality thrives |
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| 38 | 38 | | everywhere in Port Arthur, from fais-dodo house parties to major |
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| 39 | 39 | | events, among them the annual Cajun Heritage Fest; moreover, the |
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| 40 | 40 | | Museum of the Gulf Coast does its part to preserve and focus |
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| 41 | 41 | | attention on Cajun history and traditions; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | WHEREAS, Port Arthur takes great pride in the Cajun influence |
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| 43 | 43 | | that pervades so many aspects of life in the city, and residents of |
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| 44 | 44 | | all backgrounds enjoy celebrating these distinctive elements of |
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| 45 | 45 | | their culture; now, therefore, be it |
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| 46 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 47 | 47 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the Cajun heritage of Port |
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| 48 | 48 | | Arthur. |
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| 49 | 49 | | Manuel |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 52 | 52 | | I certify that H.R. No. 335 was adopted by the House on |
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| 53 | 53 | | February 28, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 54 | 54 | | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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