Heritage, 2011, Volume 3 Page: 12
39 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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fO BOYS
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CATTLE MlTop Five List
Dr. Light Townsend Cummins is the author of
several books on Texas and American history,
including his most recent work, Emily Austin of
Texas (published by Texas Christian University
Press, 2009). Here is a list of his top five favorite
books on Texas history.
Gone to Texas: A History of the Lone Star State
by Randolph B. Campbell, Oxford University
Press, 2003
Spanish Texas, 1519-1821 by Donald Chipman,
Austin: University of Texas Press, 1992
Stephen F. Austin, Empresario of Texas by Gregg
Cantrell, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999
Cow Boys and Cattle Men: Class and Masculini-
ties on the Texas Frontier 1865-1900 by Jacque-
line M. Moore, New York: New York University
Press, 2009
A Breed So Rare: The Life ofJ. R. Parten, Liberal
Texas Oil Man, 1896-1992 by Don E. Carleton,
Austin: Texas State Historical Association, 1998E1.1191% aARi !Attat 14iNt t t4 r"[ It 9 3i{r " +4t a S" Ut
lingua franca also helps bond natives, newcomers, and
even visitors because they all share a mutual interest and
respect for the Lone Star legacy. Because the state's his-
torical record serves as a "language" that communicates
the attitude and characteristics of what it means to be a
Texan, that persona is continually absorbed and rede-
fined as time passes and the culture changes. As such,
Cummins says, "A knowledge and understanding of
Texas history, in many respects, is the glue that holds
together the Texan identity."
While encouraged by the enthusiasm Texans have for
their state's heritage, Cummins has been equally im-
pressed with the fine work being done by the preserva-
tion community, noting, "There are close to 5,000 his-
torical societies, museums, and libraries throughout the
state dedicated to the Texas history cause, many of them
in rural areas." He goes on to say, "Having visited many
towns, I have met scores of people who offer, often as
volunteers, their considerable knowledge, time, or re-
sources to restoration and preservation projects within
their community." When speaking to organizations as
the state historian, Cummins seizes the chance to of-
ficially recognize and thank these men and women for
their efforts, and doing so has been exceptionally reward-
ing for him. However, he comments, "If there was one
thing I could change about the history cause in Texas, it
would be that more opportunities would exist for preser-
vationists to publicly receive the accolades due to them."
In his two years of reaching out to citizens and to the
preservation community as the state historian, Dr. Cum-
mins has driven more than 34,000 miles by car and tak-
en an unknown number of trips by air, criss-crossing the
state several times over. "Having the opportunity to trav-
el the state has been personally meaningful. I have stood
by the Sabine River in the southeast corner of the state,
spent time in Laredo near the Mexican border, visited
El Paso, and toured the Panhandle. I am tremendous-
ly impressed by the geographic diversity of Texas," the
historian says. More so, these landscapes have been the
backdrop for what Cummins calls "magical moments."
He describes one of these memorable experiences:
I was invited to The Alamo to give a speech on Texas his-
tory. As a native of San Antonio, I had been to the historic
site on numerous occasions as a boy. Many of those visits
were to hear speeches from extraordinary people-notable
individuals, like Eleanor Roosevelt, Admiral Chester Nimi-
tz, and President Dwight Eisenhower. I also heard talks by
Presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon and actor
John Wayne. When it came time for me to speak that day,
I felt awed and honored to be standing in their footprints.
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Texas Historical Foundation. Heritage, 2011, Volume 3, periodical, 2011; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254222/m1/12/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation.