The Battle of the Alamo lasted 13 days, finally ending on March 6, 1836. While the battle was waged in San Antonio, Texan revolutionaries officially seceded from Mexico on March 2, 1836. (Photo Courtesy of DeGolyer Library)
Get out your cowboy boots and Texas spirit, because Friday is Texas Independence Day, a holiday marking the day that Texas seceded from Mexico in 1836.
“Texans have an immense amount of state pride, more so than they are proud to be Americans,” Alexandra Feldman, a Houston born and raised SMU student, said. “We see ourselves as singular and special, so celebrating our independence reaffirms this.”
SMU is joining in on the celebration as well. SMU’s DeGolyer Library has an existing copy of the Texas Declaration of Independence, the document that allowed Texas to officially break away from Mexico.
“Before Texas was independent, it had gone through many different stages of development. So many different countries wanted this land, and for Texas to finally break through from Mexico and become its own entity is a big deal,” senior Elizabeth Zamora said. “I don’t think any other state in the U.S. experienced what Texas did, and that’s what makes it special. It makes us who we are as Texans. We are fighters and are proud of our history.”
Sophomore Madeline Buckthal’s family has a connection to the Texas Revolution. One of her ancestors fought in the famous battle at the Alamo.
“The fact that such a small number of men were willing to defend this state and fight for their lives and the lives of their future generations means so much to us,” she said.
Buckthal even shares a middle name with this very city — Dallas.
Texas Independence Day is a legal holiday in Texas, and many SMU students shared why they love Texas.
“The people are friendly, there are tons of things to do and Texas presents so many opportunities for different groups of people,” SMU student and Houston native Jennifer Rogers said. “I love the diversity.”
America’s 1776 Declaration of Independence inspired Texans to secede. The declaration claimed that Mexico had “ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people” and committed “arbitrary acts of oppression and tyranny.”
SMU senior William Floyd thinks that every Texan should be celebrating this holiday.
“Texans celebrate Texas Independence Day because Texas was its own country and we will never let you forget it. We are proud of our history and heritage and want to let everyone else know how important Texas is to us,” Floyd said. “We want to show that we are different from everyone else and that we are not part of a region such as the Southwest or the South in general, but rather that we are Texan.”
The Texas Revolution would later trigger the Mexican-American War when the U.S. decided to annex Texas.
The annexation does not stop students from having Texas pride. Sophomore Caroline Morehead is from Missouri but has more Texas pride than some natives.
“Texas is the biggest state in America. It is home to so many people and so many prosperous businesses and historic and cultural traditions,” she said. “I think it is a way to celebrate Texas and the pride that Texans have for their state. There is no other state like Texas with the people like Texans.”
The DeGolyer Library will also have a 5,000-photo collection of Texas history ranging from 1846 to 1945. Students can view the photos online.
Gabi Pineda, Dallas born and raised, knows why Texas is the only state in the U.S. that celebrates its independence with an official holiday. “Everything’s bigger in Texas, our history and all included,” she said.
