Short Stuff: Black Cowboys

In this episode, Josh and Chuck explore the largely overlooked history of Black Cowboys in the American West, revealing that roughly 25% or more of all cowboys after the Civil War were African American men whose stories have been almost completely erased from popular culture. They dive into fascinating figures like Bass Reeves, the first African American U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi who may have inspired the Lone Ranger legend, and Nat Love, also known as Deadwood Dick, who was such a legendary cowboy that he wrote his own autobiography. From rodeo pioneers to outlaws and lawmen, this episode uncovers the incredible contributions of Black cowboys and explains why their roles in Western history were systematically written out of the movies and TV shows we grew up watching.