TITLE: Recognizing October 2017 as Italian History Month in the State of Texas.

SUMMARY: Recognizing October 2017 as Italian History Month in the State of Texas.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Italians and Americans of Italian descent have played a central role in the history and culture of our nation; and WHEREAS, This heritage runs deep in Texas, from the earliest days of our state; an Italian named Prospero Bernardi was among the men who fought at Goliad and the Battle of San Jacinto, and Giuseppe Cassini helped to finance the Texas War for Independence; a century later, the sculptor Pompeo Coppini designed Sam Houston's grave monument in Huntsville, the monument in Texas Heroes Square in Gonzales, and the Alamo Cenotaph in San Antonio; and WHEREAS, Other notable Italians in Texas include Joe Grasso, a native of Sicily who pioneered the shrimp industry along the Gulf Coast, Fraschio Fossati, who started the oldest delicatessen in Texas, Salvatore Lucchese, who established the Lucchese brand of boots in San Antonio, and Frederick Ruffini, an architect who designed opera houses, office buildings, and courthouses all across the state; and WHEREAS, Houston native Jack Valenti was a decorated combat pilot during World War II, a special assistant to President Lyndon Johnson, and the head of the Motion Picture Association of America for nearly 40 years; Romano's Macaroni Grill, the popular nationwide chain of Italian restaurants, was founded by Texan Philip J. Romano and maintains its headquarters in Houston; and WHEREAS, In 1890, the Christopher Columbus Italian Society in San Antonio established the first Italian hall in Texas, and the Beaumont and San Antonio chapters of the Sons of Italy have donated considerable sums to be used for scholarships, medical research, disaster relief, and other causes over the years; and WHEREAS, The celebration of Italian History Month provides a fitting occasion to celebrate the rich history of Italians and Italian Americans in Texas and the special contributions people of Italian descent have made to our state and nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby recognize October 2017 as Italian History Month in the State of Texas. Phelan Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo Gonz lez of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Ar valo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Flynn Mu oz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nev rez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2282 was adopted by the House on May 25, 2017, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House