Emily D. West

[1] After Bollaert's diary was published in 1956, amateur historians began to expand the tale, with Henderson Shuffler suggesting that West fit the description of the girl in the then-popular folk song "The Yellow Rose of Texas.

Historian Philip Thomas Tucker questions the reliability of the tale pointing out that "Santa Anna possessed a distinct aversion to the intermingling of races."

Santa Anna held that much of Mexico's political troubles were due to this, holding that "We have failed because of our deplorable racial mixture, and the responsibility for this sad state of affairs lies with the Spanish missionaries who saved the Indian from extinction.

"[3] After the Battle of San Jacinto, the real Emily West wanted to leave Texas, but the papers that declared her "free" had been lost.

[citation needed] In the History Channel miniseries Texas Rising, West is portrayed by actress Cynthia Addai-Robinson.