Before the Alamo: A Tejana’s Story, a well-researched historical fiction by Florence Byham Weinberg, takes place in Béxar de San Antonio, Texas in the years 1814 – 1836.
Emilia Altamirano, half Native American, half Spanish, was a “love child,” the illegitimate daughter of a married Royalist officer and his servant, an Otomi Indian. Emilia and her loving mother were very close and although treated as slaves, treasured their time together. As she grew, Emilia sought someone who could teach her to read and write. Her teacher took great interest in her and paved the way for her to act as page for the town’s City Council. Later, during a devastating cholera epidemic, she learned nursing skills from her mother.
From early childhood, Emilia loved a boy from her village, Dámaso Jiménez. After much confusion and delay, both from a trauma suffered by Emilia, and from Dámaso being conscripted into the Mexican Army at gun-point, they finally marry.
After Mexico won its independence from Spanish rule, Anglos began pouring into Texas. Many were unruly, didn’t care to learn the country’s language, customs, or religion. The gringos appropriated land they were not entitled to, and strove for independence from Mexico. The Battle of the Alamo ensued with Emilia serving as a nurse and Dámaso fighting alongside Anglo defenders to free Texas from Mexican rule.
Before the Alamo is a rich, engaging novel. Although based on history, the story also features fictitious characters and viewpoints typical of average people. The book gave me fresh perspective of the Battle of the Alamo from a Tejana (a Texan female of Hispanic descent) point of view. Weinberg’s descriptions of period clothing, food and most importantly attitudes of the time, make this a valuable resource of Texas history.