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36 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | AUGUST 2020 Just in case: Check with your club contact to confirm meeting place, date, and time. The Real Lone Ranger Hollywood has whitewashed the Wild West. Many of the first settlers were former slaves who traveled west and became the original cowboys of the American frontier. One in four American cowboys were actually African- Americans. Some Black cowboys like Bob Lemmons, Bill Pickett, Nat Love, and John Ware, were famous for their skills of riding horses, managing herds, and enforcing the law. Bass Reeves, born into slavery in 1838 and freed by the 13th Amendment, is the most famous Black cowboy. He is the inspiration for the character, The Lone Ranger, as he kept his identity a secret and he had a Native American sidekick. He captured thousands of criminals, and left a silver dollar as his calling card. He was also the inspiration for the character Django in the movie Django Unchained. It was during the Civil War that Reeves took refuge with the Creek and Seminole Indians in what is now Oklahoma. He learned their languages and customs, and sharpened his skills as an ambidextrous marksman and gun slinger. When all slaves were freed in 1865, Reeves left the Indian Territory to farm his own land and raise a family near Van Buren, Arkansas. Reeves occasionally worked as a scout for the military and used his tracking skills to help lawmen find criminals. Because of Reeves' familiarity with the land and people, U.S. Marshal James F. Fagan, hired Reeves in 1875 as a U.S. Marshal overseeing the Oklahoma Territory. Reeves served as a U.S. Marshal for over 27 years — widely regarded as the first true lawman of the Wild West. Reeves, with his Native American assistant, tracked down and caught over 3,000 criminals during his career. Reeves stood six feet, two inches tall and rode a white stallion as he patrolled 75,000 square miles of Oklahoma Territory. He wore a big black hat, two Colt .45 Peacemakers strapped on his sides, slick black suits, and polished shoes making him very intimidating. In 1907, Reeves, at almost 70, joined the Muskogee Police Department as a patrolman. On Jan. 12, 1910, Reeves passed away from Bright's disease. The legend of Bass Reeves was, and still is, lost to U.S. history. Upcoming Events: Oct. 3: Jazz Under the Stars Dec. 12 - Christmas Gala The next AACC meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, Aug. 3. For information, please call Betty Ann James at (951) 572-5538 or email: infotoaacc@ gmail.com. ~ Regina Thomas African American Cultural Club Bass Reeves, the first African-American to receive a commission as a Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River

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