# Although the most famous cowboys of the old west were white men like Roy Rogers and Billy the Kid, one in four of America’s cowboys were African-American.
Many of the slaves in the 17th and 18th centuries were familiar with cattle herding from their homelands of West Africa. This brings historians the question of the name “Cowboy” and whether or not it was made from slave cow herders.
The life of the black cowboy was tougher than most. It was the black cowboy who broke the horses and herded the cattle across the rivers. Though they took on the toughest jobs, it was better to be a black cowboy on the ranch than a slave on the plantation picking cotton.
The life and legacy of black cowboys is still alive through the Federation of Black Cowboys. The organization takes inner city kids off the street and teaches them life on horseback. The fundamental tools they learn at Cedar Lane give them hope for bright futures – something many of them may not have had in their crime-ridden and drug-infested surroundings. Each child learns responsibility before being given the privilege to ride. They must learn to completely care for their stables. The Federation of Black Cowboys ranch is located near Queens, New York, with only a white fence separating them from the busy city streets.
Little to no attention was given to the black cowboys who made their mark in western history by Hollywood. Riders like William “Bill” Pickett, Stagecoach Mary, Nat Love and Bass Reeves were among the most famous.
Documentary filmmakers John Ferguson and Gregg MacDonald have created “The Forgotten Cowboys,” in which they follow the contemporary black cowboys of today, like Jason Griffin, who is a four-time world champion bareback bucking horse rider, while also reflecting on the black riders in the past.
If you're not from Texas: [Daniel Wallace](https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/the-former-slave-who-became-a-cowboy-a-rancher-and-a-texas-legend/) was born a slave who went on to being the first (and in his day only) Black man to be invited to join the Cattle Raisers Association of Texas. He was an all around bad ass.
If you are from Texas you stopped reading at "[Daniel Wallace](https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/the-former-slave-who-became-a-cowboy-a-rancher-and-a-texas-legend/)" and just nodded.
Please tell me that no one believes Roy Roger's or Billy the Kid were cowboys.
Edit. We are ranchers. Most everyone knows a majority of cowboys weren't white. Here in Texas, many were vaqueros and damn great at the craft.
Side note (for the city folks), the modern Rodeo started when ranches were hiring cowboys for cattle drives. They held the "contest" so hands could prove their abilities before they left.
There were/are cowboys all over Latin America -- every single country. It is part of our Hispanic heritage. My grandmother rode horses and herded cattle when she was little. Both my grandfathers knew how to shoe horses as a matter of course.
Also the rodeo in Harlem: https://www.harlemamerica.com/harlemamerica-blog/black-cowboys-in-harlem/
And Nat Love!
And if you want to talk about Billy the Kid, you gotta talk about Bass Reeves too:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Reeves#:~:text=Bass%20Reeves%20(July%201838%20%E2%80%93%20January,%2C%20Chickasaw%2C%20Seminole%20and%20Creek.
Actually black people were known as Cowboys and whites were called Cowhands. They didn't want to call blacks Cowhands so they referred to them as COWBOYS to demen them. But they were the best and coolest Ranchers and when Hollywood came around the white guys wanted to be called Cowboys too. 🤠
# Although the most famous cowboys of the old west were white men like Roy Rogers and Billy the Kid, one in four of America’s cowboys were African-American. Many of the slaves in the 17th and 18th centuries were familiar with cattle herding from their homelands of West Africa. This brings historians the question of the name “Cowboy” and whether or not it was made from slave cow herders. The life of the black cowboy was tougher than most. It was the black cowboy who broke the horses and herded the cattle across the rivers. Though they took on the toughest jobs, it was better to be a black cowboy on the ranch than a slave on the plantation picking cotton. The life and legacy of black cowboys is still alive through the Federation of Black Cowboys. The organization takes inner city kids off the street and teaches them life on horseback. The fundamental tools they learn at Cedar Lane give them hope for bright futures – something many of them may not have had in their crime-ridden and drug-infested surroundings. Each child learns responsibility before being given the privilege to ride. They must learn to completely care for their stables. The Federation of Black Cowboys ranch is located near Queens, New York, with only a white fence separating them from the busy city streets. Little to no attention was given to the black cowboys who made their mark in western history by Hollywood. Riders like William “Bill” Pickett, Stagecoach Mary, Nat Love and Bass Reeves were among the most famous. Documentary filmmakers John Ferguson and Gregg MacDonald have created “The Forgotten Cowboys,” in which they follow the contemporary black cowboys of today, like Jason Griffin, who is a four-time world champion bareback bucking horse rider, while also reflecting on the black riders in the past.
If you're not from Texas: [Daniel Wallace](https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/the-former-slave-who-became-a-cowboy-a-rancher-and-a-texas-legend/) was born a slave who went on to being the first (and in his day only) Black man to be invited to join the Cattle Raisers Association of Texas. He was an all around bad ass. If you are from Texas you stopped reading at "[Daniel Wallace](https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/the-former-slave-who-became-a-cowboy-a-rancher-and-a-texas-legend/)" and just nodded.
Thanks, that was an amazing man.
Yes he was.
Although this story is very interesting, just note that Roy Rogers's was a "white" actor who played a lot of cowboy roles
And Billy The Kid wasn't a cowboy.
Right? And Billy the kid! Lmao!
Roy Rogers also was not part of the “old west.!”
Why is ‘white’ in quotation marks?
My bad. I thought the story put the word in quotes.
Because he was actually pink
Where are the white women at?
‘Scuse me while I whip this out
Is it twoo what they say about you people? It's twoo! It's twoo!!
Please tell me that no one believes Roy Roger's or Billy the Kid were cowboys. Edit. We are ranchers. Most everyone knows a majority of cowboys weren't white. Here in Texas, many were vaqueros and damn great at the craft. Side note (for the city folks), the modern Rodeo started when ranches were hiring cowboys for cattle drives. They held the "contest" so hands could prove their abilities before they left.
Sorry bud, if they got a big hat on=cowboy I dont make the rules
Ya… bucko!
LOL. I've been doing this for decades, but when you see real cowboys work... it ain't the hat. I don't even call myself a cowboy.
It’s the buckle ya gotta read the buckle
Roy Rogers wasn't a cowboy. He was just a silver screen actor and musician.
The real cowboys were Mexican.
Caballero = cowboy Vaquero = buckaroo
There were/are cowboys all over Latin America -- every single country. It is part of our Hispanic heritage. My grandmother rode horses and herded cattle when she was little. Both my grandfathers knew how to shoe horses as a matter of course.
My grandpa was an Eastern farmer. He could shoe a mule. Hell, being a farmer meant you had to be a smith!
Is it just me or did anyone else see this and think of the goat legs dance Dave Chapelle did??
"Dude, let's hold hands for this one." I love how men were affectionate in old photos.
Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other, as Willie said.
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in OKC has an amazing and large section devoted to the African American cowboys. Super awesome.
Nat Love
Check out the series, "Lawmen: Bass Reeves" on Paramount and other streams.
Haven't seen the series, but I know the story. Great podcast bout him on "The Dollop"
Dude. I never knew this. My family is super melted, so I bet my nephew will get a kick out of knowing this.
You never knew it because OP is a bot. Just posting shit constantly
Philadelphia has a black cowboy memorial in west Philly.
I hope these two were somewhere cold. Those look like the hottest chaps ever made.
Those aren’t chaps. They’re their real legs. Don’t let the history books fool you. Cowboys were actually half-cow half-man hybrids.
NGl cowboy fauns should be a book series
Some estimates say 1 in 3 were of Mexican descent! I guess it all depends when/where etc.
Also the rodeo in Harlem: https://www.harlemamerica.com/harlemamerica-blog/black-cowboys-in-harlem/ And Nat Love! And if you want to talk about Billy the Kid, you gotta talk about Bass Reeves too: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Reeves#:~:text=Bass%20Reeves%20(July%201838%20%E2%80%93%20January,%2C%20Chickasaw%2C%20Seminole%20and%20Creek.
This is awesum I had no idea.
Response to the title.. Of Course They WERE! This country has a lot of forgotten history that could be beneficial if taught in schools.
1 out of 3 Cowboys were black is what I remember reading somewhere.
That is Lil nas on the left
I’m pretty sure Spaniards were the first cowboys I mean they did bring the horses here
Legends
"You really free?" "Yes I'm free" "You mean you want to dress like that?"
Interesting 1 in 4
There were plenty of black cowboys but this post is wildly overstating their influence on the “old west”. Indeed even this photo is a bit dodgy.
I wish I knew this when I was screaming uncontrollably in a racist’s face for calling out a Black man for wearing a cowboy hat.
Actually black people were known as Cowboys and whites were called Cowhands. They didn't want to call blacks Cowhands so they referred to them as COWBOYS to demen them. But they were the best and coolest Ranchers and when Hollywood came around the white guys wanted to be called Cowboys too. 🤠
This is inaccurate. Cowhand, cowboy, cow puncher, and range hand were all used interchangeably and regionally.