HR364 - In memory of retired judge L. Clifford Davis of Arlington.

      H.R. No. 364       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a civil rights hero and an   admired jurist with the passing of the Honorable L. Clifford Davis   of Arlington on February 15, 2025, at the age of 100; and          WHEREAS, Born to Augustus and Dora Davis on October 12, 1924,   Clifford Davis grew up on the family farm in Wilton, Arkansas; he   graduated from Philander Smith College and then sought to enroll in   the University of Arkansas Law School, which finally offered   admission under separate, decidedly unequal conditions; he chose to   complete his degree at Howard University, but his struggle opened   the door for other Black students at the University of Arkansas;   beginning his career in Arkansas, he focused on civil rights   litigation; and          WHEREAS, In 1954, Judge Davis relocated to Fort Worth and   founded one of the state's first Black-owned law firms; he assisted   future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall on a matter that   would become the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ; continuing   to battle segregation, he filed successful federal suits against   the Mansfield and Fort Worth school districts; in his work as   general counsel for the NAACP, he worked tirelessly to end   discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations,   both through the courts and by reaching agreements with business   owners; in 1983, he was appointed as a criminal district court   judge, and the following year, he became the first Black judge   elected in Tarrant County; he established Tarrant County's first   drug diversion court during his tenure; after retiring as a senior   district judge in 2004, he became of counsel to the Fort Worth firm   of Johnson, Vaughn & Heiskell; he primarily handled pro bono cases,   continuing his years-long tradition of giving generously of his   time and expertise to Legal Aid of North Texas and the NAACP Justice   Project; a mentor to many, he funded scholarships and paid tuition   bills for young law students, and he visited children at the Fort   Worth elementary school named in his honor; a member of the National   Bar Association Hall of Fame, he also received an honorary degree   from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2017; and          WHEREAS, Judge Davis shared a fulfilling marriage with his   wife, Ethel R. Davis, that spanned nearly six decades until her   passing in 2015, and they were the proud parents of two daughters,   Avis and Karen; and          WHEREAS, Resolute in his commitment to justice for all,   Clifford Davis dismantled barriers to liberty, equality, and   advancement, and his legacy will continue to resonate powerfully in   the years to come; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable   L. Clifford Davis and extend sincere condolences to his daughters,   Avis and Karen Davis, to his other relatives and many friends, and   to all who mourn his passing; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of   Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Clifford   Davis.     Collier     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 364 was unanimously adopted by a   rising vote of the House on June 1, 2025.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House