There is hard history in every time period, but for the next two years, my family will be focusing on an especially tough time in U.S. history. A time when Black people were kidnapped, enslaved, humiliated, and tortured before being freed, mistreated, and terrorized while fighting for the right to pursue happiness. This is our second time through the history cycle, so we’ve been down this road before, but my children are older now. They understand more and can handle more detailed books and richer discussions. At the same time, I’m much more informed on what and how I want to teach than I was last time, so we’ll be balancing our heavy history with a dose of fun with this Black Cowboys Booklist.

Telling the truth about history is vitally important, but truth without tenderness does not reflect a mother’s love. I don’t water down or withhold hard history from my children, but I try to share thoughtfully and intentionally in an age appropriate way, ensuring that they walk away from our lessons and discussions feeling informed AND hopeful.

My children trust me, and I don’t take that for granted.

Sometimes sadness, anger, despair, and fear show up at our table, and I think that’s normal because who can learn of horrible things and feel nothing?

But I don’t just leave my children wading through that muck. I sit in the midst of the tension with them and consistently point them towards Hope.

And I’ve also learned to include something fun in our history studies to help balance out the tough stuff, particularly for my younger children.

In the fall, my 3rd grader (Form 1A upper) will spend time alone with me learning all about the lives and legacy of Black cowboys (and cowgirls too!), and he’s going to LOVE it! I already had most of the titles on this Black cowboys booklist because I did the same study with my girls several years back, but I’ve added a couple of new ones that I think he’ll enjoy.

These books don’t match up with our next time period, covering Colonial America, but they’re necessary to help balance the emotional toll of our other history studies. I’ll read some of them to him and he’ll read some to me. The rest will be placed in his free reads basket, and I’m sure that they’ll be gobbled right up. I hope you find some inspiration in this Black cowboys booklist that may help bring some joy to the hard history studies in your home or classroom.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases of these Black cowboy books using these links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

Amazon Shop: If you prefer to see all of the books at once without the commentary, please check out the Black Cowboys Booklist in my Heritage Mom Amazon Shop.

Biographical topical books and picture books

Black Frontiers: A History of African American Heroes in the Old West – This is a middle grade nonfiction book, and it’s too dense for my son to read on his own, but my girls enjoyed when I read parts of it to them aloud, so I’m hoping that he will too. One of the things I like most about this book are the photographs because I think they bring a lot of life to the stories and I haven’t found a collection quite like this elsewhere.

“From 1865 to the early 1900s, brave black people headed west in search of a new life on their own and with their families. Scouts and mountain men explored the unfamiliar terrain, miners panned for gold, and families homesteaded on the Great Plains. Black people were soldiers, business owners, and cowboys.”

Black Cowboy, Wild Horses – This book about cowboy Bob Lemmons is written by one of our favorite authors, Julius Lester, and illustrated by one of our favorite illustrators, Jerry Pinkney. Given that, I knew we would love it before I ever even read it, and I was right. The hardcover is available today, and the less expensive paperback is available for pre-order now with an Aug 17, 2021 shipping date.

“Bob Lemmons is famous for his ability to track wild horses. He rides his horse, Warrior, picks up the trail of mustangs, then runs with them day and night until they accept his presence. Bob and Warrior must then challenge the stallion for leadership of the wild herd. A victorious Bob leads the mustangs across the wide plains and for one last spectacular run before guiding them into the corral. Bob’s job is done, but he dreams of galloping with Warrior forever to where the sky and land meet.”

Bill Pickett: Rodeo-Ridin’ Cowboy – This picture book is written and illustrated by husband and wife duo, Andrea and Brian Pinkney (son and daughter-in-law of Jerry Pinkney – Such an amazingly talented family!), and it matches up nicely with the Bill Pickett chapter in Black Frontiers.

“The true sweat-and-dirt tale of the feisty cowboy-child who became the most famous black rodeo performer who ever lived.”

The True West: Real Stories About Black Cowboys, Women Sharpshooters, Native American Rodeo Stars, Pioneering Vaqueros, and the Unsung Explorers, Builders, and Heroes Who Shaped the American West – This book is the only one that we haven’t read yet as it was just published last year. I originally planned for my son to read this on his own, but after flipping through it, I think he’ll need my help. At least in the beginning of the school year.

“Did you know that the Lone Ranger was likely inspired by a black cowboy? Or that some of the most famous sharpshooters in the West were women? Or how a Native American rodeo star could ride even a buffalo? These are no tall tales! In fact, historians estimate that 1 in 4 cowboys were actually black, latino, or Native American-or even women! So saddle up for a tour of the Wild West with some of history’s most unsung heroes and discover how the great Western story is really everyone’s story.”

Let ‘Er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People’s Champion – Oregon’s most celebrated rodeo, the Pendleton Round-Up, began in 1910 and included African American competitors from the beginning. The Round-Up’s most famous Black rider, George Fletcher, was born in the Midwest, but he moved to Pendleton as a young man, learning from horsemen on the nearby Umatilla Indian Reservation. Throughout the 1910s, he enthralled audiences with his flamboyant style, which included wearing bright orange chaps, and his loose, relaxed way of riding that made every movement look as though it would fling him off. [Excerpt from Black Cowboys in Oregon]

“In 1911, three men were in the final round of the famed Pendleton Round-Up. One was white, one was Indian, and one was black. When the judges declared the white man the winner, the audience was outraged. They named black cowboy George Fletcher the “people’s champion” and took up a collection, ultimately giving Fletcher far more than the value of the prize that went to the official winner.”

Fearless Mary: Mary Fields, American Stagecoach Driver – This book is about a little-known but fascinating and larger-than-life character, Mary Fields. She is one of the unsung, trailblazing African American women who helped settle the American West.

“A former slave, Fields became the first African American woman stagecoach driver in 1895, when, in her 60s, she beat out all the cowboys applying for the job by being the fastest to hitch a team of six horses. She won the dangerous and challenging job, and for many years traveled the badlands with her pet eagle, protecting the mail from outlaws and wild animals, never losing a single horse or package. Fields helped pave the way for other women and people of color to become stagecoach drivers and postal workers.”

The Legend of Bass Reeves – Bass Reeves wasn’t a cowboy, but his story is an inspiring one set in the West, so I’m including it in this study. All of my kids really enjoyed the picture book on him (below), so I was excited to grab this chapter book story at a local farmer’s market. Weird place to buy a book, right? Not sure why it was there, but I was more than happy to take it off their hands.

“Bass Reeves was a black man, born into slavery. And though the laws of his country enslaved him and his mother, when he became a free man he served the law, with such courage and honor that he became a legend.”

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal – This picture book story of Bass Reeves has been much loved in my home. There’s something arresting about the cover art, and the story inside compels them to read on.

“Sitting tall in the saddle, with a wide-brimmed black hat and twin Colt pistols on his belt, Bass Reeves seemed bigger than life. Outlaws feared him. Law-abiding citizens respected him. As a peace officer, he was cunning and fearless. When a lawbreaker heard Bass Reeves had his warrant, he knew it was the end of the trail, because Bass always got his man, dead or alive. He achieved all this in spite of whites who didn’t like the notion of a Black lawman.”

Black cowboys booklist: Nonfiction graphic novels

Black Heroes of the Wild West – In the past, I never let my children read graphic novels. In fact, they didn’t even know what they were because they’d never seen one. But after reading a stellar review for When Stars Were Scattered, I purchased it for my kids and they ADORED it. It was such a good story and brought them so much joy that it changed my mind about integrating quality graphic novels into our home library. We haven’t read this one yet, but I expect my son to be really happy with it.

“This graphic novel  celebrates the extraordinary true tales of three black heroes who took control of their destinies and stood up for their communities in the Old West. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Mary Fields became famous as “Stagecoach Mary,” a cigar-chomping, card playing coach driver who never missed a delivery. Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi, was one of the wiliest lawmen in the territories, bringing thousands of outlaws to justice with his smarts. Bob Lemmons lived to be 99 years old and was so good with horses that the wild mustangs on the plains of Texas took him for one of their own.”

Best Shot in the West – This graphic novel by husband and wife duo, Patricia & Frederick McKissack, is a thrilling biography of an unforgettable man named Nat Love. My son has already flipped through the pictures in this book a million times, but this year, he’ll actually sit and read it which will add another layer onto what he already loves about the book. I see that the book is pricey right now, but I only paid a few dollars for it, so try searching some of the other used book websites or try your local library.

“Born into slavery in 1854, Nat Love, also known as Deadwood Dick, grew up to become the most famous African-American cowboy in the Old West. A contemporary and acquaintance of Bat Masterson and Billy the Kid, Nat was widely known as an expert roper and driver, a crack shot, and a real Wild West character.”

Black cowboys booklist: Fiction chapter books

Away West (Scraps of Time) – I haven’t read this book yet, but my girls read the other books in the Scraps of Time series and enjoyed them. We adore Patricia C. McKissack and have been collecting her books since she passed away. This historical fiction novel is about a young Southern boy’s dream of heading west to a new life and the way in which his journey teaches him the deeper meaning of the medal his father won in the Civil War.

“Unlike his older brothers, thirteen-year-old Everett was “born in freedom,” never knowing life as a slave. His most prized possession is the medal his father earned in the Civil War. Now, more than 125 years later, that treasure is kept in the Websters’ attic with other “scraps of time,” ready to be discovered by another generation eager to know its family history.”

Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World – This is going to be one of the books for our homeschool book club next year, so my son will read it along with his friends. The story touches upon a lot of topics, from stereotypical gender roles and intergenerational relationships to black cowboy history and learning to be patient. I know that it will lead to a really rich discussion among the girls and boys in the group.

“Ten-year-old Justin hates that his sisters and his mama are always fussing at him. They make him feel stupid because he can’t clean his room or cook. But why should he? He’d rather be outside playing. After all, cooking and cleaning is just “women’s work.” That’s why Justin is glad when his grandfather invites him back to his ranch for the summer. Justin is sure he can get away from all the women and do some actual “men’s work,” such as cleaning fish, mending fences, and riding horses. But back at the ranch, Justin learns some unexpected lessons and soon realizes that anyone can do anything once they learn how.”

I hope your family and students enjoy this Black Cowboys Booklist!

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