I grew up in Nacogdoches, the "Oldest Town in Texas." I've always thought that it was some odd twist of fate that a child as enamored with history as I would land in a town so blatantly obsessed with its origins. I suppose my interest was bolstered when I realized how the narrative reflected in the monuments and museums we visited on school field trips was meant to convey certain messages about Texas history. The stories we learned about Sam Houston, Antonio Gil Y'Barbo, and Thomas J. Rusk taught us that Texans were steadfast, brave, and industrious. We fought against tyranny and established thriving communities amidst great adversity. These characterizations were sort of a microcosm of the sanitized Founding Fathers narrative taught in US History classes.
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Statue of Antonio Gil Y'Barbo in Downtown Nacogdoches |
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Marker Near the Visitors' Center Commemorating the Battle of Nacogdoches |
At some point in my career, I'm going to return home and do some serious research on East Texas African American history. I want to get involved with the African American Heritage Project of Nacogdoches if it's still in existence after I finish my dissertation. But for now, whenever I'm home, I'm going to try to explore a different part of Nacogdoches, especially now that I'm noticing that many lesser-known landmarks are falling into disrepair.
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