35 Early African-American Cowboys

Although most TV westerns declined to acknowledge it, many of the early cowboy who helped open up the American West were African American. Brave, talented, and resourceful, they had moved to the West to either as freed slaves or as northern seeking opportunity and adventure. According to one estimate, 25 percent of the cowboys on cattle drives north from Texas between 1866 and 1895 were black.

When the era of the great trail drives ended, many continued demonstrating their prowess in rodeos.

Bill Pickett is one of the best-known of the early black cowboys. Born in 1870, Pickett is credited with inventing the stunt of bulldogging, or wrestling a steer to the ground. He first demonstrated the technique in 1904 rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It quickly became a staple in all rodeos. Pickett performed for over twenty years in the Miller's 101 Wild West Show. He was inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1971.

Other black cowboys are known for other skills. Jessie Stahl also in Hall of Fame inductee, was a talented bronco rider. After once placing second in an event where he clearly was the best competitor, Stahl mocked the judges by riding a second bronco backward. Nat Love, a former slave from Tennessee, was several exciting in a shooting and rodeo. Given the name, Deadwood Dick wrote after authoring several books in Deadwood, South Dakota and other lesser-known African-American cowboys were ex-rangers of black rodeo performers who still thrill audiences today.

35 早期非裔美国牛仔

尽管大多数西部题材电视剧不愿承认，但许多帮助开拓美国西部的早期牛仔是非裔美国人。他们勇敢、有天赋且足智多谋，或是作为自由民，或是作为北方人，为了寻求机遇和冒险移居西部。据估计，1866年至1895年间，从得克萨斯向北驱赶牛群的牛仔中，有25%是黑人。

当大规模驱牛的时代结束后，许多人继续在牛仔竞技表演中展现自己的本领。

比尔·皮克特是最著名的早期黑人牛仔之一。他出生于1870年，被认为发明了“斗牛犬式驯牛法”（将公牛摔倒在地的特技）。1904年，他在怀俄明州夏延的牛仔竞技表演中首次展示了这项技巧，它很快成为所有竞技表演的固定项目。皮克特在米勒的101西部荒野秀中表演了二十多年，1971年入选牛仔名人堂。

其他黑人牛仔则以其他技能闻名。杰西·斯塔尔也是名人堂成员，他是一位才华横溢的驯马师。有一次在他明显是最佳选手的比赛中只获得了第二名，斯塔尔通过倒骑着第二匹马的方式嘲讽了裁判。纳特·洛夫是来自田纳西州的前奴隶，他在射击和牛仔竞技中表现出色，被称为“戴德伍德·迪克”，他在南达科他州的戴德伍德写了几本书。其他不太知名的非裔美国牛仔包括前游骑兵和黑人竞技表演者，他们至今仍能让观众为之兴奋。