Black Cowboy

Mention the word “cowboy,” and the image that most often comes to mind—from American paintings, vintage films and television shows—is a lone ranger astride a noble white horse overlooking the plains of the Wild West. The exhibition Black Cowboy is a contribution toward overcoming the historical omission of African-American communities with long histories of keeping and training horses, and toward demonstrating that their tradition is alive and well today. Visitors to the exhibition will find cowboys in unexpected locations—riding down a busy city avenue, for example—or in complex situations, such as a rodeo held within the confines of a state prison. The images will show that African-American children and women, too, can take on the aura of this figure, who symbolizes our country’s independence and stoic pride. Black Cowboy expands our idea of what constitutes an American icon and legacy, and complicates a narrative that has been tightly woven into our popular culture.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.