| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 421 |
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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, Residents of Dallas and members of the New Morning |
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| 6 | 6 | | Star Missionary Baptist Church are gathering on March 17, 2023, to |
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| 7 | 7 | | commemorate the installation of a street sign topper bearing the |
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| 8 | 8 | | name of the church's founder and longtime pastor, the late |
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| 9 | 9 | | Dr. Walter Bookman; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Reverend Bookman, who led the West Dallas church as |
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| 11 | 11 | | pastor for more than four decades until his death in 1995, is the |
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| 12 | 12 | | first African American whose legacy will be recognized with a |
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| 13 | 13 | | street sign topper in the city of Dallas; it will serve as a lasting |
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| 14 | 14 | | reminder of his contributions as a humanitarian and civic leader, |
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| 15 | 15 | | which touched the lives of not only his congregants but countless |
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| 16 | 16 | | neighbors in the community; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, In addition to providing guidance and support to the |
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| 18 | 18 | | members of his church, Reverend Bookman expressed his faith through |
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| 19 | 19 | | his deep compassion toward the poor and underprivileged; on |
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| 20 | 20 | | Sundays, his church would offer free breakfast to those who needed |
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| 21 | 21 | | it, and he went out of his way to find housing for people who had no |
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| 22 | 22 | | place to stay; he invited candidates for public office to the church |
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| 23 | 23 | | to help his congregants become better-informed voters, and he |
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| 24 | 24 | | personally paid visits to schools out of concern for students in the |
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| 25 | 25 | | area; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, An esteemed spiritual leader, Reverend Bookman |
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| 27 | 27 | | founded both the Dallas West Ministerial Alliance and the Unity |
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| 28 | 28 | | District Association, which he also served as moderator emeritus; |
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| 29 | 29 | | he was the recipient of many honors, including the Man of the Year |
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| 30 | 30 | | award from the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Dallas; |
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| 31 | 31 | | and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, The Reverend Walter Bookman dedicated his life to |
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| 33 | 33 | | making his community a better place for everyone, and the |
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| 34 | 34 | | installation of a street sign topper in his honor will help ensure |
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| 35 | 35 | | that future generations continue to find inspiration in his example |
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| 36 | 36 | | of faith, kindness, and love for humanity; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 38 | 38 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of an honorary street |
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| 39 | 39 | | sign topper for the late Dr. Walter Bookman and pay tribute to the |
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| 40 | 40 | | remarkable life of this esteemed clergyman. |
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| 41 | 41 | | Jones of Dallas |
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| 42 | 42 | | ______________________________ |
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| 43 | 43 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 44 | 44 | | I certify that H.R. No. 421 was adopted by the House on March |
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| 45 | 45 | | 14, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 46 | 46 | | ______________________________ |
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| 47 | 47 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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