Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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Why should Texans remember the Alamo?

Ask Donald Yena — an Alamo historian and Western painter who's spent his entire life caring for a sprawling collection of Spanish colonial artifacts while intricately recreating Texas Revolution-era artwork down to the last brushstroke. Alongside his late wife, the couple carved a page of their own in Texas History's textbook... Their dedication has illuminated Texas' past for generations to come.

This week, we travel to the Mission that Yena describes as hallowed ground. In 1836, a ragtag group of the Texas Republic's first defenders was outnumbered 10 to 1 on the Battle of the Alamo's once expansive grounds during a 13-day siege led by Santa Anna.

We've all done our Texas History homework and heard these figures before, that's for sure. But sitting down to chat with the mild-mannered, observant artist Yena paints the meaning of the Alamo in entirely new colors. As Texas continues to forge ahead in time, it may now be more vital than ever to remember the strokes of independence and grit that continue to define us today.

Donald Yena
Website: askart.com/bio/Donald_M_Yena/10060042/Donald_M_Yena

Texas Country Reporter
Episode #: 2008
Original air date: 2-21-2026

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