The Forgotten Cowboys: Black, Native American, and Vaquero Legends of the West

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[INTRO MUSIC]

Howdy y’all, Chip Schweiger, here. Welcome to another edition of Way Out West with The Cowboy Accountant. 

The podcast that takes you on a journey through the stories of the American West, brings you the very best cowboy wisdom, and celebrates the cowboys and cowgirls who are feeding a nation. 

When we think of cowboys, Hollywood gives us a picture of a lone white rider on a dusty trail. 

But the truth is, nearly one in four cowboys was Black. The skills of Native American horsemen shaped ranching. And the Mexican vaqueros? 

They were the original cowboys, bringing their knowledge of cattle and horsemanship long before Texas was even part of the United States.

So, today on the show, we’re talking about the cowboys that history (or Hollywood) sometimes forgets—the Black cowboys, Native American horsemen, and Mexican vaqueros who played a vital role in shaping the Old West. 

What they contributed to cowboy culture, and how they added to the rich tapestry that is cowboy.

After the episode, check out the show notes at WayOutWestPod.com/cowboy-legends

[MUSIC]

Welcome back. So, let’s start with black cowboys.

After the Civil War, thousands of formerly enslaved men headed west, looking for work and freedom. Many found both in the saddle.

One of the most famous Black cowboys was Nat Love, also known as Deadwood Dick. Born into slavery, he became an expert horseman and sharpshooter, winning rodeo contests and working some of the toughest cattle trails in the West.

Then there’s Bass Reeves, one of the first Black U.S. Marshals. Though not a cowboy in the traditional sense, he rode the frontier enforcing the law, reportedly arresting over 3,000 outlaws. Some say he was the real-life inspiration for the Lone Ranger.

But it wasn’t all glory. Black cowboys sometimes faced discrimination, earning less pay than white ranch hands and on a few occasions, we know of stories of them being barred from certain ranches. 

Still, they endured, proving their skill and resilience in a world that didn’t always accept them. 

But, by and large, white cowboys and black cowboys worked side by side, stirrup to stirrup, which is one of the things I’ve always admired about the cowboy class: a sense that a man is measured by what he does not who he is. It’s Hollywood that has crafted a narrative that doesn’t match with the truth.

Oh, before we move on, one more cowboy I should mention. 

We can’t talk about forgotten cowboys without mentioning Bill Pickett, the man who changed rodeo forever.

Born in 1870 in Texas, Pickett was a Black cowboy who became famous for inventing a new way to wrestle cattle—bulldogging. 

Instead of just roping a steer, he’d leap from his horse, bite the steer’s upper lip, and wrestle it to the ground with his bare hands. 

That’s right—bite the steer’s lip! 

It was a technique he learned by watching how bulldogs controlled unruly cattle, and soon, it became the foundation for modern-day steer wrestling in rodeo.

Pickett became a rodeo star, performing across the country and even in Wild West shows alongside names like Will Rogers. 

But like many Black cowboys, he didn’t always get the recognition he deserved. When he died in 1932, he was largely forgotten by mainstream rodeo.

Thankfully, history caught up. 

In 1971, Bill Pickett was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, making him the first Black cowboy to receive that honor. 

And today, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo keeps his legacy alive, celebrating the contributions of Black cowboys to the sport.

So next time you see a steer wrestling event at a rodeo, remember—it all started with Bill Pickett.

Before the cowboy, there was the Native American horseman. Tribes like the Comanche, Apache, and Lakota were some of the best riders the world had ever seen.

The Comanche, in particular, were legendary. They could ride bareback, shoot arrows with deadly accuracy, and control their horses with just their legs. 

Spanish settlers and later American cowboys learned from them, adopting some of their techniques. And if you’ve ever ridden a horse using only your legs—no reins at all—you know how difficult it is. But, it’ll make you a better rider.

Many Native Americans became cowboys after they were forced onto reservations. 

Some worked as ranch hands, while others became scouts for the U.S. Army. But, sadly despite their skill, they were often treated as second-class citizens.

One example is Jackson Sundown, a Nez Perce cowboy who became a rodeo champion in the early 1900s. He was in his fifties when he won the world championship at the Pendleton Round-Up—a testament to his toughness and talent.

And now let’s talk about Mexican Vaqueros, the first cowboys. Long before American cowboys took to the saddle, there were the vaqueros. The word itself comes from the Spanish vaca, meaning cow. 

These skilled horsemen came with Spanish settlers in the 1500s and developed the first ranching techniques in North America.

Vaqueros introduced many things that became standard in cowboy life:

• Lariats, or lassos, for roping cattle
• Chaps, to protect their legs from brush and thorns
• Branded cattle, to mark ownership
• The rodeo, which started as vaquero competitions

Even today, we still use these Spanish words in cowboy culture—words like rodeo, lariat, and chaps come from them. 

But despite their skills, many vaqueros were overlooked in history. 

After the Mexican-American War, Texas ranchers hired vaqueros but paid them little. Still, their influence on cowboy life remains unmatched.

One place where Vaquero influence has been widely esteemed in on the King Ranch. Captain Richard King In 1854, brought back not only all of the cattle from a certain Mexican village, but also all of the remaining residents who were suffering through a devastating drought.  

The transplanted villagers and vaqueros went to work for King on the ranch, and their descendants, who became known as kineños, or King’s men, have formed the legendary core of the King Ranch’s mounted workforce ever since.

Let’s take a quick break and when we come back I’ll talk about the legacy of black, native American and Mexican cowboys today. Be right back

[MUSIC]

Welcome back. The stories of these forgotten cowboys teach us more than just history. And they offer valuable lessons for today’s world. Here’s what I think are the four takeaways: 

Resilience in the Face of Adversity – These cowboys overcame discrimination, economic hardship, and social barriers, yet they carved out a place for themselves in the West. Their perseverance reminds us that grit and determination can break down barriers, no matter the challenge.

The Power of Cultural Exchange – The blending of traditions—Mexican vaquero techniques, Native American horsemanship, and the skills of Black cowboys—created what we now know as cowboy culture. It’s proof that the best innovations come from sharing knowledge across backgrounds.

Recognition Matters – For too long, these cowboys were overlooked in some history books and by Hollywood, but today, their contributions are being acknowledged. 

Their stories remind us how important it is to recognize and celebrate diverse voices in all industries, not just in the past but in the present.

Legacy and Influence – Their impact still lives on in modern rodeos, ranching, and cowboy traditions. 

Whether it’s the rodeo events Bill Pickett pioneered, the riding techniques passed down from Native horsemen, or the tools and skills of vaqueros, their influence is everywhere. 

It’s a reminder that what we do today can leave a lasting mark on the future.

Western history isn’t just one story—it’s a mix of cultures, traditions, and untold legends. These cowboys helped shape the frontier, even if Hollywood didn’t always tell their stories.

The story of the Old West isn’t just about lone riders or white-hatted sheriffs. It’s about many people—Black cowboys, Native horsemen, Mexican vaqueros—who built the traditions we celebrate today. 

They faced hardships, fought for recognition, and left behind a legacy that’s still alive in rodeos, ranches, and the cowboy way of life.

Hollywood might have tried to forget them, but we won’t. Their skills, their grit, and their untold stories are part of what makes the West truly legendary.

So next time you pull on a pair of boots, watch a rodeo, or see a cowboy riding across the range, remember—it wasn’t just one kind of cowboy that built the frontier. It was many.

Well, that’s almost all for this week, but before we finish up, we’ve got one more thing.

[BULL SOUND]

Yep, that distinctive call from Buster the Bull means it’s time for the cowboy glossary term of the week. 

And this week’s term is Armitas. Armitas are an early style of chaps, developed by the Spanish in colonial Mexico and which became linked with the “buckaroos” or vaqueros of the Great Basin area of what is now the United States. They are a short legging with completely closed legs that have to be put on in a manner similar to pants.

[OUTRO MUSIC]

Thanks for joining me on this ride through history. If you liked this episode, leave a review, subscribe, and share it with someone who loves the Old West as much as we do.

Until next time, keep your boots dusty and your stories true.

We’ll see ya down the road.