Philip Durham (1912–1977)

As the title suggests, this is rather old-fashioned, but it was in its day pioneering work on a neglected topic. IT does focus specifically on the black cowboys, and to some extent outlaws, not the buffalo soldiers 9who are mentioned for about two pages) or black homesteaders. It does begin wit an overview of black presence in America from those who came with the Spanish in te16th century to the mountain men like Jim Beckwith and the explorers with Lewis and Clark and Fremont. It also show more discusses black who came west as slaves of the Natives, or who freely joined them. But its main concern is the actual cowboys whose job was herding cattle, and who often displayed great skill at riding, roping and the rest of the cowboy skills. show less

"More than five thousand Negro cowboys joined the round-ups and served on the ranch crews in the cattleman era of the West. Lured by the open range, the chance for regular wages, and the opportunity to start new lives, they made vital contributions to the transformation of the West. They, their predecessors, and their successors rode on the long cattle drives, joined the cavalry, set up small businesses, fought on both sides of the law. Some of them became famous: Jim Beckwourth, the show more mountain man; Bill Pickett, king of the rodeo; Cherokee Bill, the most dangerous man in Indian Territory; and Nat Love, who styled himself "Deadwood Dick." They could hold their own with any creature, man or beast, that got in the way of a cattle drive. They worked hard, thought fast, and met or set the highest standards for cowboys and range riders." show less