HR912 - Recognizing April 23, 2025, as Legal Defense Fund Advocacy Day.

      H.R. No. 912       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Legal Defense Fund Advocacy Day is taking place on   April 23, 2025; and          WHEREAS, The first civil rights law organization in the   nation, LDF was founded in 1940 by legendary attorney Thurgood   Marshall, who later became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court   justice; the organization was initially a part of the NAACP, but it   began operating independently in 1957; and          WHEREAS, Through litigation, advocacy, and public education,   LDF has worked to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and   protect the constitutional and civil rights of all Americans,   especially Black people and other communities of color; today, the   organization continues to address key issues such as voting rights,   education equity, economic justice, and criminal justice reform;   and          WHEREAS, LDF has played an instrumental role in some of the   most significant legal victories in American history, including   Smith v. Allwright in 1944, which eliminated whites-only primary   elections in Texas, and Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, the   landmark Supreme Court decision that outlawed racial segregation in   public schools nationwide; in addition, the organization   represented leaders of the civil rights movement such as Dr. Martin   Luther King Jr. as well as countless grassroots activists,   resulting in litigation that overturned state-sanctioned   segregation of public buildings, parks and recreation facilities,   hospitals, and restaurants; more recently, the organization has led   efforts to restore and strengthen voting protections in the   aftermath of Shelby County v. Holder , the 2013 case that struck down   parts of the Voting Rights Act; and          WHEREAS, Over the past eight and a half decades, the Legal   Defense Fund has championed racial justice and equality, and it is a   pleasure to join in recognizing the organization for its many   contributions to the civil rights movement; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby recognize April 23, 2025, as Legal Defense Fund   Advocacy Day and extend to all those affiliated with the   organization sincere best wishes for continued success in their   important work; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for the Legal Defense Fund as an expression of high regard   by the Texas House of Representatives.     Reynolds     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 912 was adopted by the House on May   23, 2025, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House