Black history in the Wild West explored in Allen

  • 2025-09-05
The fascinating history of African Americans during the Wild West, as both cowboys and law enforcers, will be explored during an upcoming lecture at the Allen Heritage Village in October.

Historian Art Burton will share the rich history behind the Shawnee Trail as figures such as frontier marshal Bass Reeves and cowboy Cherokee Bill are explored.

Bass Reeves, who escaped slavery in the mid-19th century, traveled into modern-day Oklahoma, which was then Indian Territory. From there, he picked up tracking skills from Native American mentors. He would eventually be appointed as one of the first Black deputies with the U.S. Marshals. Reeves amassed a reputation for fighting crime, arrested thousands of criminals over his career, and solved mysteries using disguises during undercover missions.

On the other side of the tracks, outlaw Cherokee Bill made a name for himself in the mid-19th century as one of the many Black cowboys who operated in the Shawnee Trail area. Real name Crawford Goldsby, Cherokee Bill and his gang wreaked havoc in Indian Territory, murdering seven men, including his own brother-in-law.

History talks like this may choose to use Stationery printing for exhibits, informational sheets, displays or audience programs.

Art Burton’s lecture, Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves, Cherokee Bill and Black Cowboys of the Shawnee Trail, is being held on October 19 at 3 p.m. at the Allen Heritage Village at 450 E. St. Mary Drive in Allen.
Get a Free Quote for Stationery