Welcome:The Frontier is one of the most iconic time period in American history, a time period that still shapes America today. The most important topic I want to educated people about is that there were African American cowboys in the western frontier. Even though that era was full of racism and obstacles for African Americans, my research led me to some brave pioneers. Important pioneers like Nate Love and Bass Reeves, and many more names that you cannot neglect when talking about African American frontiersman that shaped this nation.
The western frontier was not always a home to African American at first, infect it was not a home to anybody before exploration era when people started to venture out for new opportunity. The first man from African decent to set foot in the frontier was Esteban in 1534, a slave owned by caption Andres from Spain (Taylor) . Caption Andres and his crew embarked on the frontier by an accident when they encounter bad weather at sea that crashed them into Texas. Around the 1800’s many more Africans fled to the frontier to escape slavery and find peace. Many of them only knew the ranch lifestyle and continued to carry those skills with them out west. In that time period it was extremely hard and the ones that fled were brave pioneers that took a chance at a new territory. By 1792, 15% of Texas citizens were from African descent, an astonishing number at that time (Texas Museum). The government and politician were in fear that there would be an up rise do to the high percentage of African American assembling in one area. So Texas set a lab forbidding anymore African Americans to enter the state, and if they break the law they were unfairly charge and set to plantation camps to serve there time. As a scholar I also focused on a board picture, from African American cowboy’s daily lives on Wild West to their impact on the culture. My research led me too many historic names and incredible stories that I was never taught or would have never known prior to this research. Many school system do not cover the frontier let alone African American frontiersman; so, prior to my research I had many questions, were there African American cowboys during the frontier era to begin with? Nevertheless due to slavery many slaves escaped the south and head out west. So yes, their where African American cowboys and their impact on this nation were very significant. For example fighting in the Alamo and helping win the Spanish territory known today as Texas and California region to everyday jobs they hold like the first African American U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves. Many African American cowboys were runaway slaves that escaped their owner to find peace on the open frontier. The skills they took with them were the only skills they have known, which are ranching and farming. |
"Black Cowboy" written by Bruce A. Henry performed Live At Ruby's Cabaret, Minneapolis, MN for B.B.C. Worldwide Radio
Gallery:History on origin of African American Cowboys
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TAYLOR, QUINTARD. IN SEARCH OF THE RACIAL FRONTIER: AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE WEST, 1528-1990. WW NORTON & COMPANY, 1999.
"The African American Story | Texas State History Museum." The African American Story | Texas State History Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
"The African American Story | Texas State History Museum." The African American Story | Texas State History Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.