IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 489 

Commemorating the 88th Anniversary of Texas Southern University. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 23, 2015 

Ms. JACKSON LEE (for herself, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. 

BUTTERFIELD, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BISHOP of 

Georgia, Mr. HURD of Texas, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, 

Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. HOYER, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. ISRAEL, 

Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. ENGEL, and Mr. DOGGETT) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 

Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 88th Anniversary of Texas Southern 

University. 

Whereas, on September 14, 1927, the Houston Public School 

Board agreed to fund the development of 2 junior colleges: Houston Junior College, which later became the 

University of Houston, and Houston Colored Junior College, which in 1934 was changed to a 4-year college 

under the name of Houston College for Negroes; 

Whereas in 1936, the Houston College for Negroes graduated 

its first class comprised of 63 students and in 1943 

added its first graduate program; 


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•HRES 489 IH 

Whereas in 1946, Herman Marion Sweatt, an African-American Houston mail carrier, applied to enroll in the law 

school at the University of Texas but was denied admission because of his race, which prompted him to file suit 

against the University of Texas; 

Whereas rather than grant admission to Herman Sweatt, the 

Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 140 on March 3, 

1947, providing for the establishment of a Negro law 

school in Houston and the creation of a university to surround it; 

Whereas that law school would become the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University; 

Whereas, on June 5, 1950, the Supreme Court decided 

Sweatt v. Painter, 339 U.S. 629, which held that the segregated law schools violated the Equal Protection Clause 

of the 14th Amendment and laid the foundation for the 

landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, 347 

U.S. 483 (1954); 

Whereas in 1973, the Texas Legislature designated Texas 

Southern University as a ‘‘special purpose’’ institution 

for urban programming, which led to the creation of 4 

additional academic units: the College of Education, the 

School of Public Affairs, the School of Communications 

and the Weekend College; 

Whereas Texas Southern University currently offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in the following academic colleges and schools: the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences; the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; the College of Science and 

Technology; the College of Education; the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs; the School 


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of Communication; the Thurgood Marshall School of 

Law; the Jesse H. Jones School of Business; the Thomas 

Freeman Honors College; the College of Continuing Education and the Graduate School; 

Whereas the Thurgood Marshall School of Law has graduated more African-American and Hispanic attorneys 

than any law school in the State of Texas, including 

Harry E. Johnson, Sr., the President of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial; Senfronia Calpernia 

Thompson, the longest serving woman and African-American in the history of the Texas Legislature; and Linda 

Reyna Yan ̃ez, the first Hispanic woman to serve as a 

Texas State court appellate judge; 

Whereas over the past 88 years alumni of Texas Southern 

University have distinguished themselves and their alma 

mater in virtually every field of civic, social, and economic 

activity, including Barbara Charline Jordan and George 

‘‘Mickey’’ Leland, the first 2 African-Americans to represent Texas in the United States House of Representatives; Yolanda Adams, Grammy Award winning gospel 

singer; Kase Lukman Lawal, Chairman and CEO of 

CAMAC International Corporation; and Michael Strahan, 

professional football player and national media personality; 

Whereas in addition to Michael Strahan, who was inducted 

into the National Football League Hall of Fame in 2014, 

Texas Southern University also boasts several other graduates who went on to distinguished careers in the National Football League, including: Arthur Cox, Fredrick 

Dean, Kevin Harris, W.K. Hicks, Jack Holmes, James 

Williams, Gregg Briggs, Charley Frazier, Leroy Mitchell, 

Andrew Rice, Marvell Simmons, David Thomas, Melvin 


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Baker, Kenny Burrough, Larry Crowe, Willie Ellison, 

Lloyd Mumphord, Charles Philyaw, Joseph Anderson, 

Brett Maxie, Warren Wells, Julius Adams, Donald 

Narcisse, Markus Howell, Cortez Hankton, Oliver 

Celestin, and Warren Bone; and 

Whereas, although initially established to educate AfricanAmericans, Texas Southern University has become one of 

the most diverse institutions in Texas, providing a great 

education to future leaders from every socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic background: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) congratulates Texas Southern University on 

3 the 88th anniversary of its founding; and 

4 (2) recognizes the commitment of Texas South5 ern University to academic excellence, quality in6 struction, innovative research, and enduring con7 tributions to its community, State, Nation, and the 

8 world. 

Æ 


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