Home on the Range: The African-American
Cowboy in Texas
Subject: Social Studies & English Language Arts
Grade Level: 9th – 12th
Rationale or Purpose: Students will use their critical thinking skills to analyze the role of the
African-American cowboy and create a paper based on their research.
Materials Needed
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Computer with Internet access
Reproduced map of the United States circa 1866
Bingo sheets
Bingo chips (Suggest using dried pinto beans)
Pen, paper, and index cards to conduct research
Overhead projector
Duration: Six Weeks
TEKS Objectives:
Social Studies 113.32
(b.1) employ critical thinking skills to analyze and interpret the past, with emphasis on the life of
the African-American cowboy.
English I – 110.42, English II – 110.43, English III – 110.44, English IV – 110.45
(1.b) establish voice and style relevant to audience
(1.c) demonstrate smooth coherence and logical progression of ideas
(1.e) effectively develop a thesis and demonstrate outstanding critical thinking
(2.b) prepare a first draft with focus on thesis, audience, and purpose
(2.e) improve writing through revisions, inviting constructive criticism through collaboration
(2.h) produce a clearly-written and well-developed final draft for publication
(3.a) demonstrate accuracy in grammar, usage, and mechanics
(3.c) employ meaningful variety in sentence structure
(3.e) maintain style consistency through use of guides such as Modern Language Association
(MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA)
(4.c) distinguish between primary and secondary resources
Lesson Description
Hollywood western movies depicting large ranches and cattle drives didn’t get the picture. In
portraying the cowboy, they left out one of the most pervasive faces on the range: the African
American. Following the Civil War, the new occupation of cowboy was promising to the newlyfreed African American slave, offering opportunities to leave the cotton fields and explore the
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vast land north of Texas. It is estimated that one out of every three cowboys who drove cattle
north up the Texas trails were of African American or minority descent. George W. Saunders,
president of the Texas Trail Drivers Association in 1925, estimated that 35,000 men went up the
trail with herds. Of this number, between five and nine thousand (roughly one third) or more
were African American. Many were former slaves who traveled west after the war in search of
job opportunities.
After the Civil War broke out, the Anglo rancher in the new state of Texas went to war. Many
African Americans remained on the ranch and maintained the small farms and ranches. They
tended cattle, broke horses, raised crops, and staved off Indian attacks. When the war ended, a
multitude of cattle grazed on the open range, unbranded and untamed.
The boom years of the cattle drives were from 1866-95. African American cowboys were in high
demand for various jobs. After the Civil War ended, former slaves embraced their freedom.
Having labored almost exclusively on vast cotton plantations in east Texas, their skills were
easily transplanted to massive ranches that developed following the war. The cattle and horses
imported from Spain over 200 years ago had proliferated and spread throughout the land.
Roaming cattle grazed the rich Texas vegetation.
While the opportunity was good, life for an African American cowboy was rugged and
dangerous. The pay, although better than remaining on the ranch, was low. They were fed
poorly, deprived of sleep while doing night watches, and endured racism. Yet, they knew the
only way to earn respect was to be the very best at what they did.
Goals
The goals for this lesson plan were developed in adherence to the TEKS (Texas Essential
Knowledge Skills) Learning Standards for Texas Children as determined by the Texas Education
Agency. The goals are:
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To increase students’ understanding of the presence of African American cowboys
during the era of the 1800s that has been neglected in traditional text books.
To demonstrate how African Americans adapted to life after slavery in Texas.
To show what effects the booming cattle industry in Texas had on other parts of the
U.S.
To involve students in interaction with maps, web sites, and other hands-on tools.
To increase students’ communication skills through written oral and reports.
Lesson Objectives
Students will be able to:
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Recall the events that led to the birth of the African-American cowboy in Texas and
the conditions that nurtured his or her existence.
Recall historical facts about a typical cattle trail drives.
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Name the four major trails originating in Texas that were used for cattle drives and
draw a line along the towns leading up to the destination.
Identify the accomplishments of at least four (4) African American cowboys.
Identify the role the African-American soldier known “Buffalo Soldier” in the settling
of the West.
Use the Internet and related publications to write an essay and conduct oral interviews
on the topic, “The African American in Texas: Past and Present” and submit the entry
to Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition found online.
Simulate a reenactment of life during the cattle era, including but not limited to
period clothing and chuck wagon grub.
Prerequisites
Since the student previously studied the Civil War (1861-1865) in Grade 8, a brief review of this
conflict might be appropriate in the beginning. To prepare for this lesson, you can review the
timeline of the conflict by clicking on the Civil War . Point out that Texas was one of the states
that seceded from the United States over the issue of slavery. This should jump start their interest
in learning about the conditions that led to the creation of the African-American cowboy.
For example, when Texas ranchers went to war, the African American slave remained to help the
women and children maintain the ranches. The mammoth task of the upkeep of the ranch
juxtaposed with the responsibility of maintaining cattle was almost unbearable. As a result,
unrestrained cattle returned to the wild, roaming freely and reproducing on the range.
You should note that when war ended in 1865, the slaves were free to leave. Reconstruction
(1865-1877) was underway, providing new opportunities for the freed African Americans and
nurturing the rise of the African-American cowboy. Many chose to remain and work the ranches.
As a result, their skills were perfected as cowhands during the war. They learned how to break
horses, rope cattle, and rescue cattle from mud. These valuable skills escalated after the war.
Weary veterans and landowners returning to their ranches were faced with tasks too onerous to
complete without the skill and grit of the African Americans. Labor that was once free now
required a wage. White ranchers realized they needed the African-American manpower to
reclaim and round up cattle to sale. Although the surplus of cattle in Texas made little profit in
the South, it was a different picture in the north. Longhorns that sold for only about $4.00 a head
in Texas went for $40.00 a head up north, where development for the taste for beef quickly
increased.
Lesson Procedures
You can begin the lesson with a discussion of the emergence of the African-American cowboy
during the cattle driving era and culminate with the completion of a research project. Since
curriculum standards prescribed by the State require high school students to adapt research
material for presentation, this is the perfect opportunity to implement this goal.
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The time frame for a research project can take several weeks. For the purpose of the lesson plan,
the time frame will be limited to six weeks. You should allow a week each for the following
activities: 1) choosing a topic; 2) developing a bibliography; 3) conducting primary and
secondary research; 4) beginning preliminary writing; 5) writing and revising first draft; and 6)
editing and proofreading final draft. Enrichment activities will be incorporated with each weekly
activity, thus reinforcing the theme.
Week One: Select a research topic
Students should select to write about a specific African Texan cowboy, cowgirl or a descendant,
Buffalo Soldier, or concentrate their research on a specific aspect of the cowboy era. An
extensive bibliography has been provided, as well as a starting list of possible topics. Students
should be encouraged to seek out aged, living African-American cowboys or descendants,
residing in their region, to conduct an oral history.
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Enrichment Activities:
I. Set the stage by having class discussions on conditions in Texas leading to
emergence of the African American cowboy.
II. Although this is a juvenile reader, The Journal of Joshua Loper is an excellent, nonfictional resource that details life on the trail in 1871 through the eyes of a 16-year
old African-American cowhand. A video entitled “Wall Street of the West: The
Story of the Fort Worth Stockyards” is a good video to get started. You can contact
your local library for an introductory video that is accessible.
III. Introduce and supplement vocabulary included in the lesson plan.
IV. Create a Bingo game by clicking on Bingo Game. (see sample in Appendix). For
Bingo, you can rearrange the words so that no two students have the same card.
Create a calling card for yourself with every possible answer. Since cowboys
primarily ate beans, you could use dried pinto beans as chips.
V. Discuss the role of Buffalo Soldiers who coexisted with African-American
cowboys.
Week Two: Develop a working bibliography using the note (index) cards.
Note: Some students may feel more comfortable recording notes in a notebook.
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Enrichment Activities:
I. Conduct class discussion on cattle trails. Place a reproduced map of Texas circa
1866 on the overhead. Pass out copies to students. Point out major stopping points
and draw lines of each of the trails using different colored pencils. Go to Online
Texas Handbook. Also, have students click on The Trail Drivers of Texas, by J.
Marvin Hunter, to read excerpts of individuals who actually drove the trail during
the 1800s. Another good resource is Texas Longhorn Library, which provides a
colorful map of the trails.
II. You may try contacting Texas Parks and Wildlife for maps already marked or check
the suggested web sites.
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III. If desired, create a revised set of Bingo terms by clicking on Bingo Game. This
activity is for remediation and reinforcement of related vocabulary.
IV. Facilitate questions about research projects.
Week Three: Conduct primary and secondary research.
Use the suggested Internet to search for resources. Contact local historical societies for records
of living descendants.
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Enrichment Activities
I. Choose a day for students to simulate the “Old West” by having students dress in
period clothes. You might contact your museum to borrow a saddle for display. The
cowboy usually took a bedroll, rope, his weapon which was property of the ranch,
extra pair of socks and drawers (underwear), a clean shirt, slicker for rain, and a
leather pouch. Emphasize that cowboys wore Levi jeans and Justin boots, items still
popular today.
II. If desired, create a revised set of Bingo terms that includes period clothing and parts
of the saddle by clicking on Bingo Game.
III. Facilitate questions about research projects.
Week Four: Begin preliminary writing.
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Enrichment Activities:
I. Although the art of tattooing is popular trend in America today, it is an age-old
practice introduced to America by Spain. To jump start a discussion on cattle
branding and ear piercing, survey the class on their opinions. Explain that tattooing
or branding was one of the jobs of the African American cowboy. Branding was the
only way a rancher had to identify his cattle. What part of the cattle was branded
and how? Any student familiar with present-day tattoos and ear pierces may want to
share their experience. Click here on brands and earmarks for an online article
entitled “Texas History Highlights.”
II. If desired, create or reuse Bingo terms by clicking on Bingo Game.
III. Facilitate questions about research projects
Week Five: Writing and Revising First Draft
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Enrichment Activities:
I. Simulate a conversation around the chuck wagon. Discuss that the cook was often
an African American who was considered too old to ride with the younger
cowhands. The cook was also the doctor and dentist, and carried medicines on his
wagon. If you have adequate facilities, you might want to have students bring
typical “grub” items consumed by cowboys. Couple with this the discussion of the
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dangers of riding on the trail. A number of African Americans died in stampedes
and during river crossings.
II. Music was a sound of comfort and inspiration to a sleeping herd. African American
cowboys often whistled and sang to them. Play musical chairs with country and
western genre for background music. To play, set up one less chair than you have
participants. Begin the music. When the music stops, the person who is left standing
is given a question to answer about trail dangers. If the student answers correctly,
he gets to call out a person already seated and takes that student’s place in the chair,
thus remaining in the game. If he answers incorrectly, the student is out. The game
continues until one person is left, who is then declared the winner. You may expand
your questions to include things already learned.
III. Facilitate questions about research projects.
Week Six: Printing and Proofreading of Final Draft
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Facilitate questions about sending papers to Barbara Jordan Historical Essay
Competition.
Check to see that students wishing to enter their papers have followed all the guidelines
before mailing.
Assessment/Evaluation
To ensure that your students have arrived at your desired destination, gather students’ project and
assess this work using a grading formula that is based on the objectives. Obviously, those
students completing the research paper for the Barbara Jordan competition in a timely manner
have truly met the ultimate goal.
You could also replicate some of the previous activities, such as bingo, to wrap up the lesson.
Develop questions for a quiz that were previously used in enrichment activities.
At the close of the lesson plan, you may wish to direct a wrap-up discussion. The following
questions can serve as a guide for this discussion:
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After studying the African American Cowboy, do you agree that they played an
important role in the development of the “Old West?” Explain your answer.
Did your opinions and feelings about the African American cowboy change as a result of
your work in this lesson? If so, how?
Discuss the dangers the African American faced on the trails.
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Getting Started: Partial list of Texas Cowboys and Cowgirls
1. Bill Pickett (born 1870, invented bulldogging; from Taylor, TX.)
2. Bose Ikard (born a slave in 1843) served with famed trailblazer Charles Goodnight on
Goodnight-Loving trail and was entrusted with Goodnight’s cash. Goodnight reasoned
that a would-be robber would never suspect a black man of carrying money. Goodnight
said Ikard “surpassed any man I had in endurance and stamina.” The character Joshua
Deets, portrayed by Danny Glover in the move Lonesome Dove, is based on Ikard, who
is originally from Weatherford, TX.
3. Isom Dart (born in 1849 as Ned Huddleston, became horse rustler in Texas)
4. Charley Willis (singing cowboy born in 1850, wrote song “Goodbye Ole Paint” as tribute
to his horse, Ol’ Paint, from Bartlett, TX near Bell County)
5. Mollie Stevenson, Sr. and Mollie Stevenson, Jr. (Founded American Cowboy Museum,
own and run family ranch in Houston, TX., only African-Americans in National Cowgirl
Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth, TX.)
6. Ollie Cooper, (Medicine man with traveling medicine show from Mexia, TX. TX. His
original handmade quilt stitched out of tobacco sack is on display at the “National
Cowboys of Color Museum” in Ft. Worth, TX.
Suggested Web Sites
http://www.blackcowboys.com/BlackCowboysofTexas.htm
In her book entitled Black Cowboys of Texas, author Sara Massey and 25 contributing writers
recount the dramas of heroic cowboys in black Texas.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/BB/arb1.html
The Handbook of Texas Online traces the roots of the black cowboy in Texas.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/tarver/
Ron Tarver of the Philadelphia Inquirer shares insightful facts about the black cowboy in a
traveling exhibit.
http://social.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/essays/blackcowboys.htm
Dr. Richard Slatter, cowboy professor at Carolina State University, analyzes the early days of
ranching and profiles famous African-American cowboys.
http://www.geocities.com/cott1388/black-cowboy.html
Various study sources and materials of African Americans.
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http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4934/
Black cowboy Will Crittendon recounts his experiences as a cowboy in Texas in this interview
conducted by the Federal Writers Project in the 1930s.
http://cyberrodeo.com/guysgals/blkcowboys.htm
This site provides links to other published material on the African American.
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/bkcwboy2.htm
This site, by Bennie J. McRae, Jr., traces the beginning of the Black cowboys back to Africa.
According to McRae, Gambia and some other African countries were known to be lands of large
cattle herds with the natives possessing innate skills in controlling and managing the movement
of the animals. They were not called cowboys at that time, but merely herders.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1157/is_2001_Jan-Dec/ai_95149972
This article in Negro History Bulletin explores the history of the African American cowboy.
Author Roger D. Hardaway states that until recent history, the African American cowboy was
absent from western fiction. The two best general works on African American cowboys,
however, explode the myth that there were no (or almost no) blacks on the western ranches and
cattle trails. In 1965 two University of California at Los Angeles English professors, Philip
Durham and Everett L. Jones, published a book called The Negro Cowboys.
http://www.rra.dst.tx.us/c_t/History1/BLACK%20COWBOYS.cfm
An article citing bibliographies of other published material on the African American cowboys.
Buffalo Soldiers
http://www.imh.org/imh/buf/buftoc.html
A complete account of the Buffalo Soldiers, including an exhaustive bibliography.
http://www.zianet.com/wblase/courier/buffalo.htm
Discusses the role of the Buffalo Soldier in the making of the West. Lists members of the 9th and
10th Calvary Regiment who received Medals of Honor.
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/ap_tour.htm
Announces dates for national tour of historian/curator Anthony Powell’s “The Buffalo Soldier:
The African American Soldier in the US Army, 1866-1912.” The tour includes 65 photos plus
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mannequins dressed in authentic period uniforms and artifacts from Powell’s collection. Also
available is a one week lecture series by Powell.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/admin/buffalo/
Texas Parks and Wildlife tribute to the buffalo soldiers of the 9th Calvary, the first African
American soldiers to arrive in Texas after the Civil War.
Partial Lesson Vocabulary
Arbuckle’s – common coffee brand consumed on the range
Bandana – Bright kerchief worn over nose and mouth to minimize inhaling trail dust, to
insulate against sun when crumpled in their hat and to use as a tourniquet if bitten by a snake
Bedroll – a couple of blankets rolled out by a fireside
Beeves – The term cowboys used when referring to steers
Bogged cattle – cattle that became stuck in mud. One of the most difficult tasks was to pull
cattle that became entangled into thick mud, usually found near river crossings.
Bowie knife – a single-edge hunting knife with a ten-inch blade, popularized by Colonel
James Bowie
Brand – one or more identifying letters or marks of a ranch that are burned onto the hides of
cattle by a red hot iron. Tagged right ear with a tattoo mark
Bronco buster – one who broke or trained wild horses for riding
Buckaroo – Northwestern term for a cowboy
Bunkhouse – sleeping quarters of all cowhands while at the ranch
Butcher – During a branding, one who cuts earmarks and other permanent marks to identify
owner of cattle
Chaps – short for chaperreras (also spelled chaparejos). Leather breeches worn over a
cowboy’s pants to help protect his legs from thorns, while riding through brush, or rope
burns, while maneuvering among cattle
Chuck – cowboy term for food or grub. Food items such as beans, chicken, corn pone,
sometimes stew with guts and cornbread, dipped in hot lard drippings.
Chuck-box – a table or shelf that folded out at the back of a chuck wagon, used by the cook.
The distinguishing feature was the sloping box on the rear with hinged lid that lowered to
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become a book’s worktable. The box was fitted to the width of the wagon and contained
shelves and drawers for holding food and utensils.
Chuck wagon – the food or mobile mess wagon, used on the range. It was also the hub of all
social activities.
Cinch up – to fasten a sale on a horse’s back
Colt .45 – the cowboy’s favorite pistol, also known as the peacemaker. It was primarily used
to help turn a stampede, to kill sick or injured cattle, or to dispatch snakes.
Cook – nickname for the outfit’s cooks included Cookie, Coosie, Dough-Belly, Doughpuncher, Sallie and Sourdough. The cook is usually an older African-American cowboy who
rides ahead of the outfit.
Cow town – a town at the end of a cattle trail
Cutting horse – Horse used to rope steer that breaks from herd
Drag – the rear of a column of cattle during a drive; usually the stragglers or young calves or
weak or injured cattle
Drag rider – One of two riders who rode in the rear of the herd on a drive. One of the most
difficult positions because the rider was forced to breathe kicked-up dust from the cattle all
day and had to contend with the most stubborn animals in the herd
Drowning – frequent cause of death among cowboys, occurring when driving cattle across a
river. Not all cowboys were experienced swimmers. It is said that the lives of more trail men
were lost by drownings at the Red River crossing than on all other rivers together
Dutch oven – a large cast-iron skillet with a heavy lid, used to cook cowboy food, especially
bread, on the trail
Earmark – a cut made in a cow’s ear, used for identification
Fireman – a cowhand in charge of the irons and branding fires
Firewater – Indian name for whiskey
Fish – slang for the yellow oilskin slicker worn to protect a cowboy from the rain
Flank rider – One of two cowhands who rode about two thirds of the way back behind the
point riders along the length of the herd
Foreman – also known as the wagon boss, range boss, or tail boss; the manager of a ranch or
outfit’s range
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Frijoles – dried beans, the cowboy’s basic staple food
Gear- A cowboy’s necessities for the trail that generally consisted of a rope (lasso), Navy
Colt, holster with cartridges, extra pair of socks, extra pair of drawers, clean shirt, slicker,
and leather pouch
Hobble – a device used to prevent horses from running away; consisted of two leather cuffs,
joined with a chain, that were buckled about the forelegs of the horse. It allowed the horse to
graze and roam a short distance without being restrained
Jerky – dried beef
Justin’s – High-quality boots from 1879 manufactured in Ft. Worth, Texas.
Indian Swing – A handmade device designed to prevent a cowboy from drowning at a river
crossing; a harness is placed on a large steer with two handholds behind for the cowboy to
hold on to while crossing.
Lasso – The cowboys’ standard piece of equipment consisting of a 50-foot rope made of
rawhide and having a running noose
Levi’s – widely popular brand of pants worn throughout the West, from 1850s on.
Longhorns – the long-horned cattle of Texas with long horns extending six feet.
Maverick – an unbranded cow or calf of unknown ownership, named after Samuel Maverick
whose loss of his herd of cattle came after he failed to provide proof of ownership through
branding.
Mess wagon – another name for a chuck wagon
Mill – to slow or stop a stampede by driving a column of cattle around in a circle. This action
causes so much congestion that the cattle are gradually forced to stop running.
Night guard – One who rides the circuit around the herd at night to guard against predators
and to keep animals from wandering away.
Outfit – A word having various meanings, from the employees of a ranch to a cowboy’s
rigging
Pay – pay for cowboys was typically around forty dollars per month plus his board, although
wages could go much higher under special circumstances
Point rider – one of two men who rode at the head of a herd and worked to keep the animals
moving in the proper direction. Riding point was the high status position of any outfit.
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Rawhide – the hide of a cow
Remuda – Spanish collective term for the strings of horses assigned to cowboys on the range
or ranch.
Roundup – Conducted twice per year, in the spring to brand new calves and in the fall to
drive the cattle to market. Because cattle were allowed to wander over open range, a roundup
sometimes encompassed hundreds of miles.
Rustle – to steal cattle.
Saddlebag doctor – One who rode the range and carried medicines in his saddlebags. The
cook usually functioned as doctor and dentist on trail.
Singing and whistling – A cowboy commonly sang or whistled to the herd at night,
especially when approaching to prevent them from being startled. Cattle could easily be
frightened at night into stampeding simply by the appearance of a prairie dog or buffalo.
Stew - A cowboy’s favorite dish consisting of calf brains, tongue, liver, heart, kidneys and
sweetbreads, mixed with various vegetables according to what was available.
Sourdough keg – A five-gallon wooden keg in which sourdough was kept by the cook
Stetson – The cowboy’s favorite hat. This brimmed hat was also used to fan a fire as well as
serving as a bucket to carry water. Cowboys raised the hat to new level of fashionability; it
became to be accepted at meal tables, dance floor, and in bed while asleep.
Swing rider – One of two hands who ride about one third of the way back behind point
riders; responsible for making sure no strays wander in herd.
Texas fever – An infectious disease carried by Texas cattle spread by the bite of infected
ticks. The disease killed red blood cells of infected animals causing anemia and weight loss,
decreases in milk production, and worse.
Trail boss – the foreman of a ranch outfit
Winchester – the 1873 model was easily the most popular rifle in the West
Wrangler – on who herds and cares for horses
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Spanish Vocabulary
Chaperreras (also spelled chaparejos) – chaps or leather breeches worn over a cowboy’s
pants to help protect his legs while being scraped while riding through brush or maneuvering
among cattle
Hasta la vista – See you later, used in the Southwest
La reata – lariat or rope
Remuda – Strings of horses assigned to cowboys on the range or ranch. Called a cavvy or
saddle bank in the Northwest.
Rodeo – cattle roundup or test of demonstration of cowboy skills.
Vaquero – cowboy, which transformed into the Northwestern word for “buckaroo.”
Texas Cattle Trails
Articles about the various trails out of Texas can be found in The Online Handbook of Texas.
Chisholm Trail – A north-south trail that became the major route out of Texas. Used in
1867-1884 or 1885, the trail ran from points around Houston to Abilene, Kansas. The
Chisholm Trail started on the Rio Grande at Brownsville, led to Austin, Waco, Fort Worth,
crossing the Red River at Red River Station, through Indian Territory (Oklahoma) to
Wichita, Kansas, and ended at the final destination of Abilene, Kansas.
Goodnight-Loving Trail – Originating in the mid-1800s, the Goodnight-Loving Trail ran
from Young County, Texas, southwest to Horsehead Crossing on the Pecos River, up the
Pecos to Fort Sumner, New Mexico, and on north to Colorado.
Shawnee Trail – Of the principal routes by which Texas longhorn cattle were taken afoot to
railheads to the north, the earliest and easternmost was the Shawnee Trail. Used before and
just after the Civil War, the Shawnee Trail gathered cattle from east and west of its main
stem, which passed through Austin, Waco, and Dallas.
Western Trail - The Western Trail, also known as the Dodge City Trail and the Fort Griffin
Trail, was blazed in 1874 by cattle-drover John T. Lytle.
Suggested Bibliography
Myers, Walter Dean. The Journal of Joshua Loper: A Black Cowboy Rides the Chisholm
Trail, 1871. Scholastic, Inc., New York. 1999.
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Black Cowboys of Texas. Sara Massey. Texas A&M University Press. First Edition. College
Station, TX. 2000.
The Buffalo Soldiers, A Narrative of the Negro Cavalry in the West. Norman: University of
Oklahoma Press, 1967.
Museum Web Sites
http://www.cowboysofcolor.org/museum.html
The National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame pays tribute to the heritage of the
“forgotten”cowboy. Located in Fort Worth, TX., the museum was founded in 2001 by
community activist husband-and-wife team Jim and Gloria Austin. Through artwork,
historical records, and current events, this collection offers true perspective on the diverse
people of African-American, native American, Hispanic, and Asian heritage and the
activities that built that unique culture.
http://www.cowboysofcolor.org/
The Cowboys of Color Rodeo is a nonprofit organization promoting the historical
contributions of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans to the
development of the western United States. This fast-paced and action-packed rodeo
entertains and educates the audience about our "forgotten cowboys".
The action-packed traveling “Cowboys of Color Invitational Rodeo” features the African
American, Hispanic, and American cowboy and is a tribute to these cowboys of color.
Performances are held annually in Fort Worth, Mesquite, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and
Oklahoma.
http://cowboyoutfitters.com/chacm.html
American Cowboy Museum
11822 Almeda
Houston, Texas
713.433.4441
Founded in 1988 by rancher Mollie Stevenson, Sr. (deceased), and her daughter, Mollie
Stevenson, Jr., the American Cowboy Museum (ACM) is housed on the 150 year old TaylorStevenson Ranch in Houston. It honors the diverse western heritage of African-Americans,
native Americans, Hispanics, and women. Mollie Stevenson, Jr. and her mother were the first
living African Americans inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in
Ft. Worth, Texas. The pair has been honored as Living Legends by the Black Go Texan
Committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Landowners of Texas and the
Professional Black Cowboys and Cowgirls.
Note: Descendant Mollie Stevenson, Jr. conducts a traveling exhibit to tell the incredible
story of the evolution of one of the oldest African-American-owned family ranches in
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America. It began in 1856 with the interracial love affair between a slave owner’s son and a
21-year-old slave named Ann. To this union, six children were born, raised, and later sent to
college. The ranch has remained in the family and has sustained several generations. The
exhibit includes storytelling, videos, vintage photos, quilts, etc. A must-see for classrooms.
Contact the museum directly to arrange a visit to your school (see Appendix).
http://www.cowgirl.net/
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, located in cultural district of Fort Worth,
Texas, is the only museum that recognizes the contributions of women to the American West.
http://www.buffalosoldiers.com/
The Buffalo Soldiers were the first African-American soldiers commissioned to serve during
peacetime. The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, Houston, Texas is the only museum
dedicated primarily to preserving their legacy. The moniker “Buffalo Soldiers” was given by
the Indians because of the similarity of the soldier’s tightly curled hair and their brave, fierce
fighting, which reminded Indians of the sacred buffalo. They escorted settlers, cattle herds,
and railroad crews, as well as mapped and recorded significant geographic features.
http://www.forthworthmuseum.org/jjourney.html
Interactive, bilingual exhibit entitled “The Journal of Joshua Loper: A Black Cowboy Rides
the Chisholm Trail. Collaborative effort of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
and others. Life on the trail is relived through the eyes of young Joshua Loper, a nonfictional
16-year-old African-American cowboy. By War World II, Joshua’s only son, Samuel Loper,
owned several barbershops in Austin. After Joshua died in 1920, his journal, for which the
exhibit is based upon, was found in a pouch with a tattered kerchief. The exhibit is scheduled
to tour additional museums through 2007.
http://teachers.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/5/
A fun Web site for educators with instructions on how to create a 5x5 bingo card.
http://www.cattleraisersmuseum.org/
From cattle barons to cowboys, Texas Rangers to rustlers, and boots to branding irons, this .
interactive museum tells the story of the cattle and ranching industry in Texas and the
Southwest. Experience hands-on exhibits, talking mannequins, authentic artifacts and an
exciting theatre presentation. All to make the legends and lore come alive.
http://www.texascowboyhalloffame.com/
The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame honors Texas men and women who have excelled in the
sports of rodeo and cutting.
G. Smith 15
http://www.nationalcowboymuseum.org/
The Mission of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is to preserve and
interpret the heritage of the American West for the enrichment of the public.
Opened in 1965, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum was originally
conceived as a dream of Chester A. Reynolds, a Kansas City businessman, as a tribute to the
men and women who helped establish the West as an integral part of America's cultural
heritage.
Since 1994, the Museum has experienced its own westward expansion, increasing in size
from 80,000 square feet to more than 200,000 square feet.
http://www.imh.org/imh/qhm/qhhome.html
The American Quarter Horse Heritage Center and Museum in Amarillo, Texas traces the
development of the American Quarter Horse.
http://www.frontiertexas.com/
FrontierTexas! is a new state-of-the art museum in Abilene, TX. Visitors relive the period
from 1780-1880 with interactive media that lets you experience stampeding buffalo, attacks
by Indians and wolves, card game shootout, and a prairie thunderstorm.
Gloria L. Smith
Smith Academy, Fort Worth, TX
G. Smith 16
APPENDIX
Sample manipulative bingo sheet found by clicking Bingo Game.
Barbara Jordan
free bingo space
Competition
longhorn
swing rider
branding
stampede
Rustler
remuda
Emancipation
Proclamation
cantle
Charles
Goodnight
Texas fever
Chisholm Trail
drag rider
barbed wire
vaquero
FREE BINGO
SPACE!
Bill Pickett
lasso
earmark
Sara Massey
chuck wagon
point rider
Bose Ikard
Mollie Stevenson,
Sr.
G. Smith 17
G. Smith 18
G. Smith 19