Black Cowboys of Rodeo
Unsung Heroes from Harlem to Hollywood and the American West
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
2023 Best Book Awards Winner in Nonfiction sponsored by American Book Fest
They ride horses, rope calves, buck broncos, ride and fight bulls, and even wrestle steers. They are Black cowboys, and the legacies of their pursuits intersect with those of America’s struggle for racial equality, human rights, and social justice.
Keith Ryan Cartwright brings to life the stories of such pioneers as Cleo Hearn, the first Black cowboy to professionally rope in the Rodeo Cowboy Association; Myrtis Dightman, who became known as the Jackie Robinson of Rodeo after being the first Black cowboy to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo; and Tex Williams, the first Black cowboy to become a state high school rodeo champion in Texas.
Black Cowboys of Rodeo is a collection of one hundred years of stories, told by these revolutionary Black pioneers themselves and set against the backdrop of Reconstruction, Jim Crow, segregation, the civil rights movement, and eventually the integration of a racially divided country.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The myths and legend of the American West meet the real-life struggles and triumphs of Black cowboys in this fascinating account from journalist Cartwright (Professional Bull Riders). Drawing from interviews with rodeo champions, ranch hands, and others, he illuminates how, over the past century, Black cowboys have "pushed against the boundaries... and transcended the racial animus they faced." Among the many notable figures spotlighted are cowboy Bill Pickett, whose "steer rasslin' " during the Jim Crow era made him an international star; Cleo Hearn, who, in the mid-1960s, became the first Black cowboy to win a high school state title in segregated Texas; and Dihigi Gladney, a Californian bull rider turned jockey who made a stunning comeback as a sought-after trainer five years after a race injury in 1993 nearly killed him. Varied as these stories are, they form a vibrant showcase of Black resilience in the face of unrelenting racism, and illustrate how, despite being often forgotten to history, these men played a major role in shaping American identity. As one former bullfighter recounts, "In the beginning, they wouldn't let us win, but before it was all said and done, we dominated." This stirring history will have readers rethinking the very definition of Americana.
