I just reviewed a book for Western Writers - Black Cowboys in the American West: On the Range, On the Stage, Behind the Badge . The editors of this volume gathered a number of essays by several authors to note the unsung contributions made by black cowboys in our American West. Freemen, not slaves on horseback, they participated in rodeo, music, ranchwork, stage, screen, and law enforcement to name a few. Some took on the risks of the entrepreneur which yielded successful ranch and business ownership. A seemingly universal truth written in one essay stated, “The mutual interdependence left little room for arrogant displays of racial superiority…” in mixed-race traildrives. This is a great collection of stories! One of the editors I know is a successful black college professor of history and a fellow member of Western Writers of America.
Those two words - "mutual interdependence" give food for thought. If we heed the lessons taught by environmentalists, we'd know how true it is. Working in Indian education as I did, I'm reminded of one phrase that stated Mitakuye Oyasin, which translates to "We are all related."
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we plan to attend a movie - Hidden Figures - which seems to be about three black women who helped place astronaut John Glenn in orbit. From what I can gather, they had to fight their way into acceptance. More about that after watching it.
