Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 21: Commemoration 2024

We are fast approaching 188 years since the Siege and Battle of the Alamo, pivotal points in the Texas Revolution that are now forever etched in history.

 Today we reveal how we continue to Remember The Alamo through a series of Commemoration events meant to honor the fallen heroes of the Alamo and teach new generations about what took place all those years ago. Featuring the Alamo's Director of Living History & Public Programs Angela Wolfgram, the Alamo's Director of Events & Membership Leah Thornton, and Friends of the Alamo member Forrest Byas.

The Alamo's Commemoration events calendar: https://www.thealamo.org/remember/commemoration
Plan your visit to see the Travis Letter: https://www.thealamo.org/visit/return-of-the-travis-letter
Volunteer at the Alamo: https://www.thealamo.org/support/volunteer-at-the-alamo
Join Friends of the Alamo: https://www.thealamo.org/membership

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 20: The Travis Letter

"Victory or Death" - the only outcomes a Battle of the Alamo could possibly have. History remembers these stirring words, written by William Barret Travis, with the Alamo garrison surrounded and the Texan Army, outnumbered.

 Now, for just the second time since it left Travis’ hands, the letter will soon be back at the Alamo - the very place it was written. The Travis Letter, on loan from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, will be on display inside the Alamo Exhibit at the Ralston Family Collections Center from February 23, 2024, through March 24, 2024.

In this special episode, we’ll reveal its journey from its home archive in Austin, how you can be among the first to see it, and why the Travis Letter holds such a special place in Texans’ hearts. Featuring the Alamo's Senior Curator, Historian, & Lecturer Ernesto Rodriguez and the Alamo's Collections Manager Misty Lanham.

Plan your visit to see the Travis Letter: https://www.thealamo.org/visit/return-of-the-travis-letter
Join February 22, 2024 Friends of the Alamo sneak preview: https://www.thealamo.org/visit/travis-letter-sneak-preview
Read more about the Travis Letter and see high-resolution photos: https://www.thealamo.org/remember/battle-and-revolution/travis-letter
Download the Alamo Education Team's letter-writing activity: https://www.thealamo.org/fileadmin/assets/educator/educators_pdfs/travis_letter_activity.pdf

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 19: Black History Month

February marks Black History Month, and we are devoting this episode to the contributions of African Americans to the Alamo’s history. 

Today we reveal the real stories behind these figures, who so often are shrouded in myth or forgotten by history. We’ll also tackle the tough truths behind their presence at the Alamo and explore how Alamo grounds have become a central backdrop in the local fight for civil rights. Featuring the Alamo's Senior Curator, Historian & Lecturer Ernesto Rodriguez and Dr. Charles Gentry, a Historic Preservation Specialist with the City of San Antonio and a Lecturer in the African American Studies Program at The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Joe's account of the Battle of the Alamo: https://www.thealamo.org/remember/battle-and-revolution/joes-account
Statues of Emily Morgan & Hendrick Arnold: https://www.thealamo.org/visit/whats-at-the-alamo/statues-of-heroes
Dr. Carey Latimore's research on civil rights in San Antonio: https://www.thealamo.org/fileadmin/assets/support/research_and_studies/civil-rights-in-sa-wwii-to-1960s.pdf
Kolby Lanham's research on press coverage of lunch counter integration: https://www.thealamo.org/fileadmin/assets/support/research_and_studies/alamo-1960-lunch-counter-photography-report.pdf

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 18: Phil Collins & The Alamo

A British rock star became one of the largest collectors of Alamo artifacts in the world.

In honor of Phil Collins and his upcoming birthday on January 30th, today we reveal how he became so fascinated by the Alamo, take you behind the scenes of his many visits to the Shrine of Texas Liberty, and the legacy this British music legend leaves upon the Alamo City. Featuring the Alamo's Senior Curator, Historian & Lecturer Ernesto Rodriguez and excerpts from Phil Collins' 2014 speech at the Alamo.

Watch full Phil Collins speech and press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-bxIodC8IM&t=1023s
Buy Phil Collins' book from the Alamo Gift Shop: https://store.thealamo.org/the-alamo-and-beyond-a-collector-s-journey

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 17: Alamo For All

The Alamo is for everyone. We are committed to making the historic site accessible, whatever your needs.

Today we reveal the steps the Alamo’s taken to provide sensory-friendly experiences, the accessible tours the Alamo can offer as you plan your visit, and the work being done to make an Alamo For All. Featuring the Alamo's Director of Living History & Public Programs Angela Wolfgram, the Alamo's Director of Interpretation Tom Castanos, and the Alamo's Guest Experience Associate Paul Anderson, who lives with a hearing impairment.

The Alamo's visit tips for accessibility: https://www.thealamo.org/visit/visiting-tips/accessibility-and-access
Email to set up accessible tours: [email protected]

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

You may not realize the Alamo is an active archaeological site. For the past few months, careful work performed by seasoned experts outside the Long Barrack has yielded a treasure trove of artifacts.

Today we reveal the extraordinary archaeological discoveries now uncovered and how, even 300 years since the Mission was founded, we still have so much more to learn about the site. Featuring the Alamo's Archaeologist Dr. Tiffany Lindley.

Weekly archaeology updates: https://www.thealamo.org/support/preservation/updates
Partnership with San Antonio College students: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAlamo/posts/pfbid0fiRWzG7Q7H1pkEZMGmLBoCRAjHKy9Lejicw2Se7vGU4oH2YtJQEdSgbGHDPCj8zAl

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 15: January 1836

As the calendar flips to a new year, so does our story. January 1836: the Mexican army is marching north, while figures like David Crockett, James Bowie, and James Butler Bonham are making their way to the Alamo.

Today we reveal the primary documents that tell the story of January 1836 and the moods these documents capture, all while the threads of history are converging. Featuring the Alamo's Senior Researcher & Historian Kolby Lanham.

Join Friends of the Alamo: https://www.thealamo.org/membership
Return of the Travis Letter: https://www.thealamo.org/visit/return-of-the-travis-letter

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 14: Collecting Crockett - A Conversation With David Zucker

Author David Zucker is a noted Hollywood filmmaker of classic movies like Airplane! and the Naked Gun series. He's also a lifelong Alamo enthusiast. Like so many of you, he became enamored with the Alamo story as a young boy, watching Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

Today we reveal how that childhood passion paved the way for Zucker to make a career in the movie business, become a collector of Crockett-related artifacts, and how one of those artifacts now has a new home at the Alamo.

Buy David Zucker's book: https://store.thealamo.org/surely-you-can-t-be-serious-the-true-story-of-airplane
Video from David Zucker's December visit: https://youtu.be/NCuIpJbeuyQ?si=yFhET_pLJlKP1cuD
Photos from David Zucker's December visit: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAlamo/posts/732787488885832

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 13: History Road Trip

Two Alamo historians travel America - a history road trip from San Antonio, to El Paso, to Washington D.C., then back home to San Antonio. That’s more than 4,000 miles. And along the way, they uncovered connections to the Alamo that are often overlooked.

Today we reveal what they learned on their journey from the Shrine of Texas Liberty to the Nation’s Capital, and the small towns in between. Featuring the Alamo's Senior Researcher & Historian Kolby Lanham & the Alamo's Researcher Thomas Ledesma.

Photo of Alamo historians receiving commemorative plaque in Lawrence County, Tennessee: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=708346557996592&set=pb.100064637625928.-2207520000&type=3

Sites With Alamo Connections
Fort Davis National Historic Site: https://www.nps.gov/foda/index.htm
Stephen F. Austin Birth Site: https://texasbob.com/travel/tbt_sfa_memorial.html
Sam Houston Birth Site: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=32089
Manassas National Military Park: https://www.nps.gov/mana/index.htm
David Crockett State Park: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/david-crockett
James K. Polk Ancestral Home: https://jameskpolk.com/
Shiloh National Military Park: https://www.nps.gov/shil/index.htm

Other Stops
Camp Ford Historic Site: https://www.battlefields.org/visit/heritage-sites/camp-ford-historic-site-and-park
Battle of Franklin Site: https://boft.org/history

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast
Episode 12: The Battle Of Bexar

Before the Battle of the Alamo, there was the Battle of Bexar: street fighting in and around the Alamo that ended in a Texas victory.

Today we reveal what brought the front lines of the Texas Revolution to San Antonio, the surprise attack at the Alamo that ended in victory for the Texans, and how what happened after that victory helped seal the fates of the Alamo Defenders. Featuring the Alamo's Senior Curator, Historian & Lecturer Ernesto Rodriguez.

Read related essay by Dr. Bruce Winders: https://officialalamo.medium.com/san-antonio-de-b%C3%A9xar-texas-december-1835-122b93fcc9ca

Send the Alamo Podcast a Text Message! (Please include name and contact information so we can respond.)