Western Black History
(tribune-chronicle.com) WARREN  Many African Americans were pioneers of the Old West and some became important and well-known cowboys and cowgirls.
Warren residents Cliff and Lillie Johnson spent time researching African American cowboys and cowgirls earlier this year for a program for Wild West Days at the Warren SCOPE Center.
The Johnsons spoke this week at the Kirk Club meeting held at the First Presbyterian Church.
‘‘There were some African Americans who help make the Wild West very wild,’’ Cliff Johnson said.
Lillie, a retired music teacher for Warren schools, and Cliff, a retired principal at Warren Western Reserve High School, said they were able to find interesting individuals who contributed to the settling of the West and helped with establishing schools and churches and being part of the rodeos.
‘‘This was extremely educational for me. I discovered many famous African Americans who were explorers, fur traders, soldiers, cavalry members and also among the first homesteaders,’’ he said.
Cliff said many African Americans left the South and headed West for opportunities such as farming, mining, publishing newspapers, owning hotels, and being involved in the cattle drives (more..)
======
Western Black history is by far one of my favorite subjects to study. There is a wealth of information there that gives a more complete picture of Blacks here in America. While many would want you to believe that we went from slave ships, to the plantation to Jim Crow south, many Black folks met with great wealth and success in pockets throughout the west. I am particularly fascinated by the numbers of towns that were founded by us. Contrary to popular belief, racism wasn’t the only reason why many of these towns met abrupt ends. I’ll try to provide you with some links I have gathered on this topic later today.
