WBlack cowboys in the American West accounted for up to an estimated 25 percent of workers in the range-cattle industry from the 1860s to 1880s, estimated to be at least 5000 workers according the latest research. Typically former slaves or born into the families of former slaves, many black men had skills in cattle handling and headed West at the end of the Civil War. Though the industry generally treated black men equally to white men in terms of pay and responsibilities, discrimination persisted, though to a lesser extent than in other industries of the time.
WIsom Dart (1849-1900), born Ned Huddleston, was a rodeo clown and stunt rider, rancher, and horse and cattle rustler during the late 19th century in the Wild West. He changed his name to Isom Dart when he bought a ranch and settled in Browns Park in northwestern Colorado. He was also known by a number of nicknames, such as "Quick Shot" and "Tan Mex".
WMary Fields, also known as Stagecoach Mary and Black Mary, was the first African-American female star-route mail carrier in the United States.
WBose Ikard was an African American cowboy who participated in the pioneering cattle drives on what became known as the Goodnight–Loving Trail, after the American Civil War and through 1869. Aspects of his life inspired the fictional character Joshua Deets, the African-American cowboy in Larry McMurtry's novel Lonesome Dove.
WNat Love was an American cowboy and former enslaved person in the period following the American Civil War. His exploits have made him one of the most famous heroes of the Old West.
WGeorge McJunkin (1856–1922) was an African American cowboy, amateur archaeologist and historian in New Mexico. He discovered the Folsom Site in 1908.
WThe New York City Federation of Black Cowboys (FBC) is an organization dedicated to keeping alive the memory and tradition of African-American cowboys from the Old West. It is located in The Hole, a low-lying neighborhood on the border of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City.
WWillie M. Pickett was a cowboy, rodeo, Wild West show performer and actor. In 1989, Pickett was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.