White Hats

From Texas Monthly comes a story of the Wild West, the first American superheroes, the legendary riders in white hats, Los Diablos Tejanos—the Texas Rangers. “White Hats” tells the true history of these larger-than-life rangers, who have become one of the defining symbols of the state. Join host Jack Herrera as we explore the fantastical tales of Ranger legends like Jack Coffee Hays, who rode into battle with the Lipan Apache chief Flacco, and Frank Hamer, who hunted down the outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. For many Texans, the white hats became synonymous with justice and protection. But many other Texans grew up hearing haunting memories of “los Rinches,” and the violence they visited upon Mexicans and Mexican Americans a century ago. On the eve of the Rangers’ 200th anniversary, "White Hats" explores the Rangers’ true place in Texas history.

Episodes

Introducing White Hats

November 1, 2022 • 4 mins

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1. Rangers and 'Rinches'

November 15, 2022 • 43 mins

On the first episode of “White Hats,” we visit the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, searching for how the Rangers became such enduring Texan symbols. Then we drive to the Rio Grande Valley, where historian Trinidad Gonzales recalls the Rangers' role in a century-old family tragedy and discovering how his family history was part of the bigger story of Texas. For more on the story, please visit https://www.texasmonthly.c...

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2. Ghosts of the Wild West

November 15, 2022 • 50 mins

To understand how the Texas Rangers’ legend took hold, we explore three stories about their early conflicts with Native and Mexican American people. First, we follow the footsteps of Ranger Captain Jack Coffee Hays, up Enchanted Rock to the site of his famous shootout with Comanche warriors. Then, the Comanche scholar Dustin Tahmahkera explains the abduction story of Cynthia Ann Parker, and the life of her son Quanah Parker. Finall...

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3. La Hora de Sangre

November 22, 2022 • 44 mins

After the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution, as fighters crossed into Texas to raid ranches, Texas hired hundreds more Rangers to defend the state—many with hardly any qualifications. The atmosphere of suspicion and fear between Anglo and Mexican Texans gave rise to an era of state-sanctioned violence by Rangers, vigilantes, and other officials. It reached its peak at a massacre in the West Texas town of Porvenir.You can read more...

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4. The Cold Case

November 29, 2022 • 43 mins

One year after the Porvenir massacre, the Texas Rangers are a subject of an inquiry at the Texas capitol led by state representative J. T. Canales. In this episode, we hear testimony from the hearings about the Rangers’ violence, as well as attempts by Rangers backers to discredit Canales and his effort. After the hearings, the Rangers only become bigger heroes in popular movies and TV shows. But the stories of their violence again...

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5. Bias Toward Action

December 6, 2022 • 42 mins

Today’s Texas Rangers make a hard distinction between themselves and the men who rode alongside Jack Hays, J. M. Fox, or even Frank Hamer. But the hat and the badge—the Ranger mystique—still count for something. How does that Rangerness affect their approach to policing? How does it affect the people they’re investigating, tracking, and interrogating—the guilty . . . and the innocent? For more on this story please visit https://www...

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6. Memorials and Monuments

December 13, 2022 • 45 mins

In the past decade, historians and descendants of victims of La Hora de Sangre have raised awareness of the violence against Mexican Americans in the 1910s—including with new historical markers placed by the State of Texas. But organizers of the Texas Rangers’ bicentennial in 2023 want to remind Texans of the virtues that made Rangers legends in the first place. For more on this story please visit https://www.texasmonthly.com/podca...

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Introducing Viva Tejano

November 4, 2024 • 4 mins

Introducing the latest podcast from Texas Monthly, "Viva Tejano.” Latin music is ascending in the U.S., and, in some surprising ways, much of the story behind the trend begins in Texas. On Viva Tejano, host J.B. Sauceda talks with legendary tejano artists and well-known tejano music fans about how the music has shaped their lives. It’s a nostalgic journey and a close look at the influences behind many of today’s biggest acts in mús...

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Introducing TM Out Loud

February 28, 2025 • 2 mins

Subscribe to Texas Monthly Audio today for access to exclusive new audio productions based on the latest issue of the magazine, in our new podcast feed TM Out Loud. Visit texasmonthly.com/audio for more.

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