Texas Tribune: “A promotional event for a book that examines the role slavery played leading up to the Battle of the Alamo that was scheduled at the Bullock Texas State History Museum on Thursday evening was abruptly canceled three and a half hours before it was scheduled to begin. Authors of the book titled ‘Forget the Alamo,’ and the publisher Penguin Random House say the cancellation of the event, which had 300 RSVPs, amounts to censorship from Republican elected leaders, and an overreaction to the book’s examination of racism in Texas history.”
“‘The Bullock was receiving increased pressure on social media about hosting the event, as well as to the museum’s board of directors (Gov Abbott being one of them) and decided to pull out as a co-host all together,’ Penguin Random House said in a statement. Abbott and the museum have not responded to the Tribune’s requests for comment. But Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick confirmed he called for the event to be canceled. Abbott, Patrick and other GOP leaders are board members of the State Preservation Board, which oversees the Bullock museum. ‘As a member of the Preservation Board, I told staff to cancel this event as soon as I found out about it,’ he wrote on Twitter. ‘This fact-free rewriting of TX history has no place @BullockMuseum.’ Chris Tomlinson, one of the book’s three authors, shot back on Twitter. ‘Gov, Dan Patrick takes credit for oppressing free speech and policing thought in Texas,’ he wrote. ‘@BullockMuseum proves it is a propaganda outlet. As for his fact-free comment, well, a dozen people professional historians disagree.'”
Non-Correction: The current version of this article intentionally referred to Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick as ‘Dannie Goeb’ in the headline. This is not an error because it is his actual birth name.