Today kicks off Black History Month, and I was surprised to learn that one in four cowboys were black, so we're going to be sharing their stories.
I've been reading Black Cowboys of the Old West: True, Sensational, and Little-Known Stories from History to brush up my knowledge of these legendary characters. Each cowboy I've read about has faced insurmountable odds from birth, and became legendary through outstanding feats of skill, bravery, and, more often than not, quite a lot of charm and personality.
This morning, I was reading about the cattle driver, Deadwood Dick (born to the name Nat Love, but I'll be happy to talk more about that in coming blog posts).
"I have seen a large part of America, and I am still seeing it, but the life of a hundred years would be all too short to see our country," said Love. "America, I love thee, Sweet Land of Liberty, home of the brave and the free."
I can sure relate to that.
The gumption exhibited by the legends of the West have always been inspiring to me, and the lives of black cowboys are the pinnacle of gumption.
I hope you love these true historical accounts of legendary figures from the Old West as much as I do.
