Black Cowboys: An American Story
Discover the lives of the Black men, women and children—enslaved and free—who labored on ranches and worked on cattle drives before the Civil War through the twentieth century.
Black Cowboys Entry (2021/2022) by Witte MuseumWitte Museum
These cowboys tamed and trained horses, tended livestock, cooked and repaired equipment. One in four of the cowboys who went on the trails were Black. For too long, their stories were neglected and untold.
Black Cowboys Introduction (2021/2022) by Witte MuseumWitte Museum
Black cowboys would later serve as officers of the law, own ranches, ride in rodeos, become singers and perform in movies.
Explore the artifacts, photographs and voices depicting the work and skills of Black cowboys, revealing a more diverse portrait of the American West.
Saddle and Boots from the Black Cowboy Museum, Rosenberg, TX
A Black cowboy, whose name has been forgotten, used this saddle in Texas in the early 1900s. Most of the tools that cowboys used on the trail or on a ranch were used up or repurposed, few known examples of tools used by Black cowboys exist today.
Hector Bazy Theater, Black Cowboys Exhibition (2021/2022) by Witte MuseumWitte Museum
Hector Bazy Theater
An immersive theater features an intimate conversation with Hector Bazy, played by award winning actor and playwright, Eugene Lee. In 1910, Hector Bazy published a memoir, detailing his daily life cattle herding and cooking on the prairies of Texas.
Black Cowboys Gallery (2021/2022) by Witte MuseumWitte Museum
Biographical profiles, photos, artifacts, multimedia and interactives reveal how Black cowboys were integral to the American economy, shaped the legacies of Black ranching families and turned ranch skills into popular performances in rodeos, music and film.
Black Cowboys Chuckbox (2021/2022) by Witte MuseumWitte Museum
On the Trail
From 1865 until the 1890s the largest number of domestic animals in world history were driven up trails from Texas to be sold at market to provide the country with beef. By the early 1880s, the highly profitable cattle industry was one of the largest in the United States.
Chaps, early 1900s. Miles City Saddlery Company, Montana.
These chaps, called "woolies," not only protected a rider's legs but provided warmth in the winter and through cold desert nights. These woolies were made from the hair of an angora goat, but similar chaps were made from bison, bear, and jaguar.
Black Ranching Families (2021/2022) by Witte MuseumWitte Museum
Ranching and Farming
Formerly enslaved Black cowboys continued to work in ranching and farming after Emancipation. They developed skills and networks to become ranch owners. Even after Emancipation, Black ranchers' legacies were under constant threat from violence and theft of their property.
Performances in Rodeo (2021/2022) by Witte MuseumWitte Museum
Popular Performances: Rodeos, Music and Film
Thousands of Black cowboys in the American South made rodeos a part of ranch gatherings and small fairs across the United States. The riding skills, music and dress styles of Black Americans were showcased in Black rodeos, Wild West shows, and later in movies, radio, and TV.
Larry Callies in front of his Chaps and Hat
Larry "Sweet Roll" Callies wore this hat and these handmade chaps while he worked on the George Ranch in Fort Bend County, Texas. He acquired the nickname "Sweet Roll" while roping cattle. It was said that whenever Callies roped a calf, he "rolled them sweet."
Tex Williams in front of his Trophy Saddle (1998)
Black cowboy and rodeo competitor Texas Williams won this saddle in 1998 for team roping, but he began winning rodeo contests in the 1960s while in high school. In several rodeos, Tex won, but was denied the prize "due to technicalities," which really meant because of his race.
Black Cowboys Gallery (2021/2022) by Witte MuseumWitte Museum
Meet a variety of real Black cowboy figures and discover their profound impact in American history. Black Cowboys: An American Story is a past Witte Museum exhibition that is now available to travel to other institutions.
