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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The G. J. Sutton State Office Complex in San Antonio |
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served state agencies and the wider community for many years; and |
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WHEREAS, |
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The facility's namesake, Garlington Jerome Sutton, |
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became the first African American elected official in Bexar County |
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in 1948, when he was chosen as a member of the San Antonio Union |
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Junior College District Board of Trustees; he was later elected to |
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the Texas House of Representatives in 1972, earning the distinction |
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of becoming the inaugural representative of District 57-E and the |
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first African American in the legislature from the Alamo City; |
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during his tenure, he served as chair of the Texas Legislative Black |
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Caucus and proposed the acquisition of a new state office building, |
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which was later named in his honor in 1982; he passed away on June |
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22, 1976, at the age of 67; and |
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WHEREAS, In the fall of 2013, the complex was closed after |
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significant structural problems were discovered during maintenance |
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improvements; the property, however, remains highly desirable for |
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its location in a designated historic zone; and |
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WHEREAS, G. J. Sutton was not only a pillar of his community |
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but also a trailblazer for African Americans in public service, and |
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it is essential that this property continue bearing his name so that |
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current and future generations are able to more fully appreciate |
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his achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby urge all future owners of the property on which the |
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G. J. Sutton State Office Complex now stands to preserve the use of |
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Mr. Sutton's name in tribute to his historic legacy in the city of |
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San Antonio and the Lone Star State of Texas. |