![]() Before we hightail into it, Aliyah, I got a few questions for you. There were also the OG Mexican Cowboys called vaqueros.ĪLIYAH: So how come we rarely see people of color in the American history of the Wild West? There were Chinese immigrants building railways and Native Americans who had lived all over the plains for thousands of years. JOY: The Wild West was full of people of color. Back then, about one in four cowboys was Black. These were rough and tough riders who explored the frontier and became the stuff of legend.ĪLIYAH: Yeah. We're going to talk about the forgotten Black cowboys of the Wild West. JOY: And today, we're on the Forever Ago ranch rustling up some history. JOY: Welcome to Forever Ago, where we explore the before. NELLIE: Well, it seems like I have my work cut out for me. To be honest, I never really lived on a farm. Here I come.ĪLIYAH: I always carry a filet mignon steak in my pocket just in case. NELLIE: Well, that's what I'm talking about. NELLIE: Ugh, I'm not really a touchy feely dog. Nellie, if you come here, I'll give you lots of snuggles and cuddles. It helps if you give her a reason to come over. ![]() JOY: Oh, I see I've got my work cut out for me. You've got the big rimmed hat, the shiny boots, and the vest with all the frills. And this here is my dog, Nellie.ĪLIYAH: Hey, Wally. I'm Wally Tartan, rhymes with Dolly Parton. Give me a home where the G chord, Buffalo roam. I think you're imagining things.ĪLIYAH: I swear I heard a guitar. We have chickens to pluck, lambs to shear, milk that needs to be milked.ĪLIYAH: Do you hear that? Is that music coming from the porch? JOY: Well, we have a full day of chores on the Forever Ago ranch. (SINGING) Good morning, good morning, good morning to you.ĪLIYAH: I'm not a morning person. ![]() In some places, it takes a village to raise a child In Compton, takes a dedicated group of cowboys to inspire and help young people to thrive.ALIYAH: Joy, what are you doing? It's 4:00 AM. “We’re trying to be the guys who make it cool to wear Stetson hats and Wrangler jeans in the ’hood.” “At the end of the day, we want people to also think about us when they think about cowboys, not just a bunch of white guys in cowboy hats who smoke Marlboro cigarettes,” added Hook. After the Civil War, between 5,000-8,000 men and women became ranchers and herders, a fact that helps empower riders and change the community’s view of what a cowboy “should” resemble. “They were the underdogs just like we were.”Īn additional perk of the Cowboy’s program? Educating young Black people about the rich history of Black cowboys that’s often disregarded from history. “The throwaway horses that we were given ended up being the best horses for us because they had a feisty spirit and a chip on their shoulder just like we did,” he told the Times. Cowboy Randy Hook said that the horses needed rescuing just like the riders. Now, under the care of the Cowboys, they’re happy and healthy. ![]() There’s peace with the animals,” he said.Įven the horses have been rescued from a life of instability, malnutrition, and abuse. “I was always around shootings and gangs, but none of that happens when I’m in the stables with the horses. In March, one of the Compton Cowboys told the New York Times that he credits the stables for getting him away from a dangerous lifestyle. Away from the violence, the youngsters were able to thrive and find a peaceful setting they didn’t know before. The 10 founders met each other at a nonprofit stable in California when their families empowered them to seek safety and meaning outside of their communities rife with gang violence. The Compton Cowboys-a group of determined Black community leaders-ride horses through the city to mitigate and prevent racial violence by encouraging teens to trade crime for riding lessons. When you think of Compton, you may not automatically think of horseback riding, yet that’s exactly how this group is getting at-risk young people off the streets. At times, help and guidance arrive in the most unexpected ways.
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