Section 2: Who Were Black Cowboys? Black Ranchers

The Wilcoxes and others in Jakes Colony had keen business acumen, many owning businesses, growing fruit orchards… They owned and operated a full farm and cattle ranch.

 

Lola Kelly Wilcox Moore on her family’s Wilcox Ranch, 2021

 

Black cowboys created legacies of ranch ownership. Black ranches have been part of the Texas cattle industry since the 1830s. These men and women of African descent purchased land, cattle and horses, became prominent families in Black communities throughout Texas. Today, many Black ranchers, farmers, cowhands and rodeo stars can trace generations of Black cowboys in their family histories.

 

The panel has three images of prominent Black cowboys. Captions follow. 

 

Caption (1): Willie Carpenter, a relative of the Alexander family, at the Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas.

Creditline: Courtesy the Alexander Family.

 

Caption (2): Pete Rydolph, Victoria’s first Black millionaire from ranching,1910s.

Creditline: Louise S. O’Connor, Courtesy The Wittliff Collections, Texas State University.

 

Caption (3): Mark Alexander walks a horse on the Alexander Farm, which has been in their family since 1839.

Creditline: Alan Pogue. Courtesy the Alexander Family.

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Black Cowboys: An American Story
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  1. Black Cowboys: An American Story Entry Object & Panel Section 1
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  2. Section 2: Who Were Black Cowboys? Men & Women
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  3. Section 2: Who Were Black Cowboys? Children
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  4. Section 2: Who Were Black Cowboys? Enslaved
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  5. Section 2: Who Were Black Cowboys? Black Ranchers
  6. Section 2: Who Were Black Cowboys? Recovering Black Cowboys Stories
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  7. Section 2: Who Were Black Cowboys? African Origins.
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  8. Section 3: Hector Bazy, Black Cowboy
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  9. Section 4: Black Cowboys Were Integral to the Texas Economy
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  10. Section 4: Tower Bios of Famous Black Cowboys
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  11. Section 4: Where did Black Cowboys Work? The Great Cattle Trails
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  12. Section 4: Essential Cowboy Skills Cooks & Other Jobs
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  13. Section 4: Wall Bio Hector Bazy
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  14. Section 4: Wall Bio Nat Love
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  15. Section 4: Impact of the Cattle Industry
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  16. Section 4: Monroe Brackins & Jim Perry Bios
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  17. Section 5: Black Cowboys - enslaved and free - used their skills to become Black Ranchers and shaped the legacies of Black ranching families
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  18. Section 5: Tower Bios of Prominent Black Ranchers & Farmers
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