Name: Nature by the Book Special Edition: Joe, the Slave Who Became an Alamo Legend
Start: 2025-05-17T10:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-17T12:00:00-05:00

intellectuwell.org) and [Outdoor Afro Houston](https://www.facebook.com/groups/OutdoorAfroHouston) are hosting a SPECIAL EDITION of our [Nature by the Book](https://www.bonfire.com/intellect-u-well-inc-merch-store-5/?productType=bacf6cd6-b53d-469c-ab96-02afe5b15f71) discussion in San Marcos! Our reading this time will be *[Joe, the Slave Who Became an Alamo Legend](https://www.oupress.com/9780806147031/joe-the-slave-who-became-an-alamo-legend/)* (University of Oklahoma Press, 2023), written by [Ron J. Jackson, Jr.](https://www.ronjjacksonjr.com/) and Lee Spencer White.

"If we do, in fact, “Remember [The Alamo](https://www.thealamo.org/),” it is primarily thanks to one person who witnessed the final assault and survived: the commanding officer’s enslaved African, a young man known simply as Joe. What Joe saw as the Alamo fell, recounted to the Texas Cabinet days later, has come down to us in records and newspaper reports. But who Joe was, where he came from, and what happened to him have all remained mysterious until now. In a remarkable feat of historical detective work, authors Ron J. Jackson, Jr. and Lee Spencer White have fully restored this pivotal yet elusive figure to his place in the American story.

Jackson and White searched through plantation ledgers, journals, memoirs, slave narratives, ship logs, newspapers, letters, and court documents. Their decades-long effort has revealed the outline of Joe’s biography, alongside some startling facts: most notably, that Joe was the younger brother of the famous escaped enslaved person, abolitionist narrator [William Wells Brown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wells_Brown), and the grandson of legendary trailblazer [Daniel Boone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Boone). This book traces Joe’s story from his birth in Kentucky through his life in slavery to his eventual escape and disappearance into the shadows of history."

**Pre-reading is encouraged but NOT required.**

This outing will occur at the [Calaboose African American History Museum](https://www.calaboosemuseum.org/). The museum's exhibits include displays relating to the Buffalo Soldiers, Tuskegee Airmen, WWII Military, Civil Rights, Ku Klux Klan, and San Marcos area history.

**Event Cost: The cost for this event is free.**

Where We Will Meet: We will meet at a location TBA for registered participants.

What We are Doing/What to Expect: After introductions, we will discuss the book (in its entirety) during our sit-down portion. Immediately afterward, those interested can explore the museum or even driver over and visit [The Alamo](https://www.thealamo.org/)!

Who’s Coming: This event is open to all ages, so bring your friends, family, and kids. However, PLEASE REGISTER EVERYONE for our records.

**Extras: If you register and cannot make it, please be courteous to others and remove your registration so others who may be on the waiting list have a chance to participate!**

Please review the [waiver](https://outdoorafro.my.site.com/s/trip-waiver) at [https://outdoorafro.my.site.com/s/trip-waiver](https://outdoorafro.my.site.com/s/trip-waiver)

Please feel free to contact James directly if you have any questions about this event!

Outdoor Afro Houston

Travel & Outdoor

Travel

Camping

Adventure

Hiking

Outdoors

Black Professionals

African American Families

OutdoorAfro

Black Men

African Americans

Walking

New In Town

Fitness

African American Women

Kayaking

Have you reviewed the Outdoor Afro trip waiver at https://outdoorafro.my.site.com/s/trip-waiver so that we can start on time?

Nature by the Book Special Edition: Joe, the Slave Who Became an Alamo Legend

Details