Since the Juneteenth celebration has its origins centered around Black Texans, I thought i would share a small bit of history on a few folks with African ancestry that have contributed to the history of Texas. These individuals all made their mark pre-emancipation, which i think makes them even more impressive. That also partly adds to some of the lack of documentation and records of their lives. I know many of you are well versed in Texas history, so feel free to correct or add any details i may have missed.
First is Esteban/Estevanico who along with Cabeza de Vaca were the first non-natives of the americas to explore the Texas interior after separately wrecking on the Texas coast. He was an enslaved north African who traveled from Galveston to western Mexico becoming a medicine man to the natives. Cabeza de Vaca wrote of their travels becoming the first European to write about their travels of the Texas interior.
https://www.nps.gov/coro/learn/historyculture/esteban-de-dorantes.htm
Next i would include Joe of the Alamo. He was enslaved by William Barret Travis and lived to tell the tale of final moments of the taking of the Alamo by Mexican forces. He was the biological grand son of Daniel Boone, yeah that Daniel Boone. His brother is William Wells Brown, who after his own escape from slavery, became a well known author and abolitionist. Joe seemed to go to great extents to notify Travis's family the tale of his final demise, even risking his own life.
https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Joe%20Article.pdf
Finally, i would mention something that may be classified more as legend than history, but i think research has proven has at least some kernels of truth. The Yellow Rose of Texas. Emily (Morgan) West was an indentured servant (free person in a labor contract) who was both black and white, at the time known as "mulatto", which some also referred to one's skin color as "yellow". The story goes that one of the reasons the Texans were able to overrun the Mexican camp so easily at San Jacinto was that Santa Anna was thoroughly occupied at the time of the attack with Emily in his tent. Some connect this story of Emily West to the inspiration of the song "Yellow Rose of Texas". I don't know if there is recorded historical proof of that connection, but the lyrics of the song would indicate that the unknown songwriter to be black as he referred to himself as a "darky". I would consider this a fourth instance where a person of African ancestry has impacted the history and culture of Texas.
https://officialalamo.medium.com/who-was-the-yellow-rose-of-texas-750c95617241
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/perspectives-african-american-history/yellow-rose-texas-ironic-origins-state-song/
First is Esteban/Estevanico who along with Cabeza de Vaca were the first non-natives of the americas to explore the Texas interior after separately wrecking on the Texas coast. He was an enslaved north African who traveled from Galveston to western Mexico becoming a medicine man to the natives. Cabeza de Vaca wrote of their travels becoming the first European to write about their travels of the Texas interior.
https://www.nps.gov/coro/learn/historyculture/esteban-de-dorantes.htm
Next i would include Joe of the Alamo. He was enslaved by William Barret Travis and lived to tell the tale of final moments of the taking of the Alamo by Mexican forces. He was the biological grand son of Daniel Boone, yeah that Daniel Boone. His brother is William Wells Brown, who after his own escape from slavery, became a well known author and abolitionist. Joe seemed to go to great extents to notify Travis's family the tale of his final demise, even risking his own life.
https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Joe%20Article.pdf
Finally, i would mention something that may be classified more as legend than history, but i think research has proven has at least some kernels of truth. The Yellow Rose of Texas. Emily (Morgan) West was an indentured servant (free person in a labor contract) who was both black and white, at the time known as "mulatto", which some also referred to one's skin color as "yellow". The story goes that one of the reasons the Texans were able to overrun the Mexican camp so easily at San Jacinto was that Santa Anna was thoroughly occupied at the time of the attack with Emily in his tent. Some connect this story of Emily West to the inspiration of the song "Yellow Rose of Texas". I don't know if there is recorded historical proof of that connection, but the lyrics of the song would indicate that the unknown songwriter to be black as he referred to himself as a "darky". I would consider this a fourth instance where a person of African ancestry has impacted the history and culture of Texas.
https://officialalamo.medium.com/who-was-the-yellow-rose-of-texas-750c95617241
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/perspectives-african-american-history/yellow-rose-texas-ironic-origins-state-song/
