The Yellow Rose of Texas

Download or read book The Yellow Rose of Texas written by Lora-Marie Bernard and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-20 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A journalist searches for the truth behind the traditional folk song, and a free black woman’s role in the Texas Revolution. The legend of the Yellow Rose of Texas holds an indisputable place in Lone Star culture, tethered to a familiar song that has served as a Civil War marching tune, a pop chart staple, and a halftime anthem. Almost two centuries of Texas mythmaking successfully muddled fact with fable in song, and the true story of Emily D. West remains mired in dispute and unrecognizable beneath the tales that grew up around it. The complete truth may never be recovered, but in this book Lora-Marie Bernard seeks an honest account honoring the grit and determination that brought a free black woman from the abolitionist riots of Connecticut to the thick of a bloody Texas revolution. A Lone Star native who grew up immersed in the Yellow Rose legend, Bernard also traces other stories that legend has obscured, including the connection between Emily D. West and plans for a free black colony in Texas. Includes illustrations