The Alamo

A Cradle of Lies, Slavery, and White Supremacy

By: Mario Salas

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

This book reveals the hidden history, the untold story of the Alamo, of the Alamo and its relationship to myth, lies, slavery, and white supremacy. The author presents academic knowledge and simple language to present a greater understanding of the facts about the Alamo that have been erased.

“The Alamo: A Cradle of Lies, Slavery, and White Supremacy is a timely book for the current national conversation/debate about the value of our democracy. The ‘glorious defense’ of the Alamo has been taught in American history as an example of patriotic courage when in fact, the battle of the Alamo was fought to defend and extend the U.S. system of human slavery to the remainder of the North American continent. Armed men willing to commit atrocities can always be found by ruling classes struggling to keep Black and brown down while mining gold from their unceasing labor. Politics in 19th century Texas were similar to today’s politics. Mexico’s revolutionary government outlawed chattel slavery and protected human rights. The Mexican general, Santa Anna, was correct to consider most of the defenders of the Alamo fort, which was on Mexican soil, to be murderers and thieves. Thanks for this insightful and timely book.”
—Bob Zellner, Veteran of the Civil Rights Movement as a leader in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He organized protests and investigated the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner. He faced dangerous work in the South in the war against segregation. Despite being assaulted during those terrible days, he never gave up the fight.


“There will never be a book written about the Alamo from the perspective of one of San Antonio’s foremost city councilmen, civil rights leaders, historians, and political science professors all-in-one, but this book gives the reader all of these perspectives. Most San Antonians agree we need a reset on the Alamo history, but the history that is propped up is done so in the name of tourism, the almighty dollar, and whitewashing a shameful fight against freedom for black slaves. The Alamo is a church, and it can be the epicenter of healing for white supremacy and slavery for the entire United States. Books like The Alamo: A Cradle of Lies, Slavery, and White Supremacy help us move in that direction.”
—Tommy Calvert, Jr., Bexar County (San Antonio, TX) Commissioner representing the Alamo and former Chief of External Operations for the American-Anti-Slavery Group in Boston, MA.

“When the historians and political scientists of the future look back towards our current times and, during their research activities, they enter the key words: smart, strategic, cunning, provocative, irritating, persistent, unwavering, stubborn, unfazed, deliberate, significant, defiant, sensitive, thought-provoking, insightful and a gentleman, the name and life of Mario Salas will surface to the top of their list.”
—J. George Cisneros, Community Activist

“In this groundbreaking and important book, Mario Marcel Salas, a longtime resident of San Antonio, leading scholar of Texas history, and Civil Rights activist, has brilliantly blended together the fundamental truths about the story of the Alamo and the supreme importance of slavery in the Texas Revolution in an extremely thoughtful and insightful manner. This timely book has revealed a good many new views not only about the Alamo but also about race and its centrality in the story of Texas, America, and the Alamo for the twenty-first century.”
—Phillip Thomas Tucker