82R19792 BPG-D
By: Deshotel H.C.R. No. 138
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The observance of San Jacinto Day on April 21, 2011,
provides an ideal opportunity to honor the African Americans who
fought bravely on the side of the Texians in the War of Independence
from Mexico; and
WHEREAS, In 1835-36, numerous African Americans, free,
enslaved, and indentured alike, joined in the Texas Revolution;
they were counted among those who died defending the Alamo, and they
fought in every battle, including Velasco, Goliad, Bexar, and San
Jacinto; although early histories generally ignored these vital
contributions, individual acts of courage and patriotism were
recorded for posterity; and
WHEREAS, The first Texan casualty of the revolution was most
probably Samuel McCullouch, Jr., a free African American soldier;
after enlisting in the Matagorda Volunteer Company, he was severely
wounded at Goliad during the storming of the Mexican officers'
quarters; another African American, Hendrick Arnold, distinguished
himself as a guide and soldier for Ben Milam's Texas army at the
Siege of Bexar and later at the Battle of San Jacinto; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the War of Independence, blacksmith,
innkeeper, and skilled negotiator William Goyens, a free man of
color, was charged with maintaining good relations with the
Cherokees; he served as the interpreter for General Sam Houston and
his party in securing an important treaty; one of the few Texan
survivors of the Alamo was Joe Travis, the slave of William B.
Travis, who delivered to the Texas cabinet a report on the battle
and the strength of General Santa Anna's army; and
WHEREAS, The early chroniclers of the Texas Revolution failed
to obtain the testimony of key witnesses to momentous events and
left holes in the histories passed down to us; as a result,
generations of Texas schoolchildren grew up without learning about
the role African Americans played in the founding of their state;
however, through surviving accounts of the remarkable deeds of men
such as Joe Travis, William Goyens, Hendrick Arnold, and Samuel
McCullouch, Jr., citizens of the Lone Star State can gain fuller
knowledge and an appreciation for those who contributed to the
struggle for Texas independence; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby honor the African Americans who fought for the Republic of
Texas in the War of Independence from Mexico and encourage all
citizens to learn more about their contributions.