Tell the Truth about the Alamo

Myths are not education, and are written to shore up those in power and subject the multitude to support whatever the established untruth is said to be. One of the biggest myths ever told has been the story of the Alamo. Those of us who were raised here had to listen to outright fabrications for decades as to the reasons why the Battle of the Alamo was fought. What was missing from our education consists of the role of slavery, white supremacy, and outright fabrications. This prompted me to write my book, The Alamo: A Cradle of Lies, Slavery, and White Supremacy.
Alamo falsehoods, and the wars with Mexico, are pushed forward so that any discussion that takes away from established myth it is seen as attempts to deny the accepted norms of white supremacy. For example, the Mexican Army had hundreds of free Black Troops fighting for them as opposed to the number of Blacks fighting with the slave owner army of Sam Houston (a small hand full). The Alamo defenders have been characterized as “noble” men. One Alamo book is even titled “Blood of Noble Men.” However, there was nothing noble about them. One definition of “noble” is “having or showing high moral principles and ideals.” These pro-slavery men were nothing like the above definition. I cannot see how it applies to racists, slave owners, and thieves. Yet, this is what many of the Texas immigrants aspired to—becoming lazy gentlemen of the slave owning class.
My book, “The Alamo: A Cradle of Lies, Slavery, and White Supremacy” attempts to provide a stream of continuity between the racist past and crimes of the racist present. Left out of the history books is the fact that all of the leaders at the Alamo were slave owners. William Travis, David Crockett, James Bowie, and even privates owned at least one slave or desired to become a slave owner. Left out of the discussion is the fact that Mexico had a Black president, Vicente Guerrero, who, when he abolished slavey, Texas settlers become angry that their goal of becoming plantation owners was beginning to fade. Slavery was the central reason for the war and not “liberty,” unless one means liberty to own slaves.
According to civil Rights activist Bob Zellner, “The Alamo: A Cradle of Lies, Slavery, and White Supremacy is a timely book for the current national conversation/debate about the value of our democracy. The ‘glorious defense’ of the Alamo has been taught in American history as an example of patriotic courage when in fact, the battle of the Alamo was fought to defend and extend the U.S. system of human slavery to the remainder of the North American continent.” There will be a book signing this week, of my book on Saturday, June 4th at the Carver Library, 3350 E. Commerce, beginning at 5 pm. Education is key to democracy. The truth must be told for a real education.