Light Townsend Cummins: Commemorating San Jacinto Day
[Cummins is a professor of history at Austin College in Sherman. He is a a sixth-generation Texan whose forebearers fought at the Battle of San Jacinto.]
The battle was over in just 18 minutes. The struggle to understand its meaning has never ended.
On the afternoon of April 21, 1836, Gen. Sam Houston led a relatively small Texian Army into battle against the much larger force under the command of General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
Houston's victory secured Texas independence.
Is it still important for all Texans to commemorate San Jacinto Day? Is remembering that battle today something worthwhile for all Texans as diverse individuals representing a myriad of backgrounds or walks of life?
These can be hard questions to answer, especially because Texas history used to emphasize only one side of the story: the Anglo American. Today, that viewpoint has expanded to include a much broader understanding of our Texas past.
Texas history now acknowledges that the Battle of San Jacinto was a complex historical drama. We realize that fighting as comrades alongside Sam Houston were Juan Seguin, Martín Flores, Antonio Treviño, José Molino, José Palonio Lavigna and others of Tejano heritage. Readable, well-researched and timely histories written from the Tejano viewpoint allow us to focus on that part of our history....
Read entire article at Austin Statesman
The battle was over in just 18 minutes. The struggle to understand its meaning has never ended.
On the afternoon of April 21, 1836, Gen. Sam Houston led a relatively small Texian Army into battle against the much larger force under the command of General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
Houston's victory secured Texas independence.
Is it still important for all Texans to commemorate San Jacinto Day? Is remembering that battle today something worthwhile for all Texans as diverse individuals representing a myriad of backgrounds or walks of life?
These can be hard questions to answer, especially because Texas history used to emphasize only one side of the story: the Anglo American. Today, that viewpoint has expanded to include a much broader understanding of our Texas past.
Texas history now acknowledges that the Battle of San Jacinto was a complex historical drama. We realize that fighting as comrades alongside Sam Houston were Juan Seguin, Martín Flores, Antonio Treviño, José Molino, José Palonio Lavigna and others of Tejano heritage. Readable, well-researched and timely histories written from the Tejano viewpoint allow us to focus on that part of our history....