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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Pop music superstar Phil Collins has donated his |
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magnificent collection of historical artifacts to the State of |
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Texas for display at the Alamo; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in London in 1951, Mr. Collins became |
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interested in the Battle of the Alamo as a boy while watching the |
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classic Walt Disney television series Davy Crockett, King of the |
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Wild Frontier; his interest in collecting was sparked in 1994, when |
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his wife gave him a receipt for a saddle sold by John W. Smith, a |
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courier who departed from the Alamo before the battle and who |
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eventually became the first mayor of San Antonio; subsequently, he |
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received more such presents, and he began purchasing items |
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connected to the Alamo and early Texas history; and |
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WHEREAS, On his second visit to San Antonio in 2004, |
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Mr. Collins formed a friendship with the owner of the History Shop, |
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located just a short distance from the mission; the ground under the |
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store had never been excavated, so Mr. Collins arranged for and |
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participated in a historical dig that recovered a host of |
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significant objects; in addition, he made possible the installation |
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in the History Shop of a large diorama of the Alamo compound, and he |
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recorded narration that enhances its depiction of the positions of |
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Texian defenders during the attack; he also recognized the |
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importance of George Nelson's book The Alamo: An Illustrated |
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History and funded two reprintings of the work; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2009, Mr. Collins was named an honorary member of |
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a chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas and was featured as a |
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guest speaker at the Remembrance Ceremony hosted by the Alamo |
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Defenders Descendants Association; he was subsequently awarded an |
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honorary doctorate in history by McMurry University; moreover, he |
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authored a beautifully illustrated book, The Alamo and Beyond: A |
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Collector's Journey, which received a 2013 Publication Award from |
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the San Antonio Conservation Society; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, Mr. Collins assembled what is now |
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considered the world's largest private collection of Alamo and |
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Texas Revolution artifacts; it includes hundreds of documents, |
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among them a letter from Stephen F. Austin and an 1835 grant of land |
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to Sam Houston, as well as a rifle and leather pouch owned by David |
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Crockett and a knife carried in battle by Jim Bowie; and |
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WHEREAS, The donation of this phenomenal collection will |
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greatly enhance the experience of visitors to the Alamo, providing |
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them with a greater understanding and appreciation of the famous |
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battle and its place in the arc of history; Phil Collins has long |
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been admired by innumerable fans across Texas for his musical |
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accomplishments, and by sharing his love of our frontier heritage |
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through this superlative gift, he has earned the lasting respect |
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and gratitude of all residents of the Lone Star State; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby recognize Phil Collins as an honorary Texan and commend him |
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for the generous donation of his remarkable collection of |
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historical artifacts; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Collins as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |