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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, On May 24, 2013, the Houston Independent School |
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District is celebrating the renaming of Houston Gardens Elementary |
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School in honor of the late Ernest McGowen, Sr., an admired civic |
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leader, public servant, and clergyman; and |
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WHEREAS, The first African American elected as a trustee of |
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HISD and of Houston Community College, Reverend McGowen built on |
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the gains of the civil rights movement and worked diligently to |
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advance the cause of social justice; he was instrumental in the |
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adoption of a school holiday observance for the birthday of |
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and in the hiring and promotion of |
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African American administrators and the inclusion of minority |
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vendors, contractors, and professionals in contract bidding; in |
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addition, he advocated powerfully for better wages and working |
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conditions for maintenance and food service employees and guided |
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the establishment of the area's first vocational-technical high |
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school; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1979, this dynamic Texan became the second |
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African American elected to the Houston City Council, and over the |
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course of a tenure that spanned 14 years, he helped to modernize the |
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police department, secure pay parity for police officers and |
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firefighters, and increase wages for sanitation workers and other |
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municipal personnel; moreover, he played a key role in passage of |
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the ordinance creating the city's minority- and women-owned |
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business program and in the adoption of a paid holiday for |
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Dr. King's birthday; and |
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WHEREAS, Further demonstrating his commitment to the |
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community, Reverend McGowen served for 12 years on the Houston |
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Galveston Area Council, and he was its first elected African |
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American president; in later years, he continued to benefit his |
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fellow citizens through his service on the mayor's Ministerial |
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Council, Transition Team, and Affirmative Action Committee; he was |
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the first African American pastor in the Texas Methodist Conference |
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appointed to lead a predominantly white church, Wesley United |
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Methodist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Reverend McGowen passed away on August 26, 2012, at |
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the age of 87, having helped break down racial barriers and build |
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bridges to success for subsequent generations; his tremendous |
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accomplishments continue to resonate in the city of Houston, and |
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the renaming of this school is indeed a fitting tribute; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of Ernest McGowen, |
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Sr., Elementary School and honor the life and work of Reverend |
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McGowen. |