SR175 - Recognizing February 2025 as Black History Month.

          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 175          WHEREAS, The celebration of Black History Month in   February 2025 provides an opportunity to recognize the rich   cultural heritage of African Americans and the significant   contributions they have made and are continuing to make in the   Lone Star State; and            WHEREAS, An event celebrating Black history was   established in 1926 as a weeklong observance by Dr. Carter   G. Woodson, an author and scholar whose parents had been   enslaved; he sought a means of educating all U.S. citizens about   African American culture and engendering pride among Black   Americans; the tribute was expanded to a month in 1976 and was   officially recognized by President Gerald Ford, who encouraged   all Americans to join him "in tribute to Black History Month and   the message of courage and perseverance it brings to all of us";   and            WHEREAS, People of African descent have a long history in   Texas; in 1528, a Moor named Estevan accompanied the Spanish   explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca on a trek across the land that   would later become the Lone Star State; by the end of the 18th   century, some 450 individuals of African origin lived in Spanish   Texas, and in the early 1800s, many African Americans who had   been enslaved in the American South crossed the Sabine River,   seeking their freedom and settling in East Texas; and            WHEREAS, In the 19th century, before emancipation, African   Americans played an enormous role in producing the state's   agricultural bounty and also worked as skilled artisans; and            WHEREAS, Freed of their shackles at the end of the Civil   War, Black citizens applied themselves to new realms of endeavor;   many moved to urban centers, and in the years that followed,   provided labor for new industries that were established; African   Americans also excelled in tasks that ranged from ranching and   military duty to service as state legislators; moreover, a people   who just a few short years before had been held in bondage   enrolled in schools and colleges as they sought a path to a better   future and a means of coping with the difficult challenges that   surrounded them; and            WHEREAS, African American infantry and cavalry garrisoned   forts in West Texas during the Indian Wars; known as "Buffalo   Soldiers," they patrolled the frontier with the assistance of   Seminole-Negro Indian scouts, built roads, and escorted mail   carriers; Sergeant Emmanuel Stance, stationed at Fort McKavett,   was the first African American who fought in the Indian Wars to be   awarded the Medal of Honor; and            WHEREAS, Since the early 1800s, African Americans have   been involved in the cattle industry; one of the most famous   Black native Texan cowboys was William Pickett, who became a Wild   West rodeo performer and who is believed to have originated the   bulldogging event; and            WHEREAS, African Americans have been a significant part of   the population of Texas for hundreds of years, and the   celebration of Black History Month acknowledges and promotes the   immeasurable benefits of living in a truly diverse society; now,   therefore, be it            RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th   Legislature, hereby recognize February 2025 as Black History   Month and encourage all citizens to learn more about the history   and accomplishments of African Americans in the Lone Star State.     West     Alvarado Hagenbuch Kolkhorst   Bettencourt Hall Menéndez   Birdwell Hancock Middleton   Blanco Hinojosa of Hidalgo Miles   Campbell Hinojosa of Nueces Nichols   Cook Huffman Parker   Creighton Hughes Paxton   Eckhardt Johnson Perry   Flores King Sparks   Gutierrez Zaffirini     Patrick, President of the Senate             ________________________________          President of the Senate               I hereby certify that the     above Resolution was adopted by     the Senate on February 27, 2025.             ________________________________          Secretary of the Senate             ________________________________           Member, Texas Senate