During the Civil War, many former enslaved people joined the Union Army's Colored Cavalry, where they were trained as soldiers and learned horseback riding and cattle herding skills. After the war, many of these veterans headed west to work on ranches and as cowboys.
In the late 19th century, the western states were experiencing a labor shortage, and many ranchers began to hire black cowboys. These cowboys faced significant discrimination and segregation, but they were an integral part of the cowboy culture and played a vital role in the development of the American West. They worked as cattle herders, drovers, and rodeo performers, and they also faced challenges such as racial discrimination and poverty.
Even though they played a significant role in the American West, black cowboys have often been overlooked in popular depictions of the cowboy culture, and their story is not well known.
See: Pete Staples, Bose Ikard, Jim Perry, Daniel Wallace, John Swain, John Batavia, Thornton Biggs, Print Olive, Nat Love, Henry Harris.
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