WILD
written by Cassandra Charlot Swilley
Where in your memory lies the history of Black cowboys and cowgirls? Does it stay trapped in your imagination? Some distant memory from that one class lesson? The truth of the matter is that any discussion about the Wild West must include Black cowboys and girls. Research from the Smithsonian Institution estimates that one in four cowboys were Black during the 19th century. And fundamental U.S. history confirms Black women’s role in shaping the American West, from leading cowgirl of the Texas Coastal Bend Henrietta Williams Foster to wild horse tamer Johana July. Black cowboys and girls are here, they are proud, and they are not trapped in the imaginary.
