persons of color revisited

[James A. Landau]

(Note to myself: guessing can be fun, but you're more likely to impress
people with research)

According to several Web pages, there exists a manuscript in the archives of
the University of Texas, signed only with the initials J.K., which may date
back to Sam Houston's Presidency, and which reads:

There's a yellow rose in Texas, that I am going to see,
No other darky [sic] knows her, no darky only me
She cryed [sic] so when I left her it like to broke my heart,
And if I ever find her, we nevermore will part.

[Chorus]

She's the sweetest rose of color this darky ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds,they sparkle like the dew;
You may talk about your Dearest May, and sing of Rosa Lee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas beats the belles of Tennessee.

When the Rio Grande is flowing, the starry skies are bright,
She walks along the river in the quite [sic] summer night:
She thinks if I remember, when we parted long ago,
I promised to come back again, and not to leave her so. [Chorus]

Oh now I'm going to find her, for my heart is full of woe,
And we'll sing the songs togeather [sic], that we sung so long ago
We'll play the bango gaily, and we'll sing the songs of yore,
And the Yellow Rose of Texas shall be mine forevermore. [Chorus]

(text quoted from http://www.markw.com/yrlyrics.htm)

Note the phrase "rose of color" in the first line of the chorus.

There is a legend behind this song.  According to
http://www.nortropic.com/lis341/future/yellow.html

"Emily D. West was a free Black who migrated from New York to the the Mexican
Providence of Texas in the 1830s. She was captured by Santa Anna's troops
during the Battle of San Jacinto and distracted the General while Texas
troops advanced."

According to
http://www.web-access.net/~texrose/Yellowrose.htm

"Emily Morgan was reported to have been a mulatto slave belonging to a
wealthy Texas land owner during the time of the Texas Revolution. After Santa
Anna and the Mexican army defeated the Texas army at the Alamo and at Goliad,
they pushed their way eastward intent on crushing the rebellious Texans. They
moved as far east as the swampy bogs around what is now the San Jacinto River
and the Houston Ship Channel. Santa Anna had set up camp on along the banks
of the river. The Texas army, under the leadership of General Sam Houston,
attacked the Mexican army during siesta time. With the river at their backs
cutting off any hope of escape, the Texas army defeated the Mexican army with
little effort. Santa Anna was reported to have been in his tent "enjoying"
the company of Emily Morgan."

     - Jim Landau