just came from the Cody museum

[gcal]

Fabulous place. But something is missing. About a quarter of the cowboys in the old west were black. They routinely were assigned the roughest, hardest, most dangerous work, and did it well. More than another quarter were Mexican. Then, there a substantial  number of Native American and some Chinese. Every cowboy I saw in every painting and every sculpture  was white. Americans identify with and worship the cowboy culture, but we refuse to acknowledge who the real cowboys were who created that culture. Would we have trouble idolizing those men if we had to admit who they really were?

 

[LeeRevell]

I know there were black cowboys, some gained some fame. But where does the 25% value come from?

 

[gcal]

I know there were black cowboys, some gained some fame.   But where does the 25% value come from?

From both BBC and CNN reports. Also other sources. Easily Googlable, tho some are in print but not on the web. Also, over a quarter were Mexicans and a lot were Native  Americans. Also some Chinese tho not a big number. The cowboy culture in the old west was not  a white culture. More of a conglomeration. Whites were in the minority of old west working cowboys. I think the early movies is where Americans get the idea of the white west. The image of a strong, independent, brave non-white hero (or villian) wasn't  what audiences wanted to see.

 

[gcal]

I know there were black cowboys, some gained some fame.   But where does the 25% value come from?

Hisiry.com has a blurb on it, too, tho I saw only blacks mentioned on their site and not the Mexicans or Indians or Chinese.

 

[gcal]

Also History.com. However, I have known this for a long time - a before-the-internet long time. So long that I have forgotten how I originally learned it.

 

[Rugster]

This isn't new, I'm still trying to figure out how some guy from the Middle East from 2000 years ago was a blond haired blue eyed white guy...

 

[gcal]

Just can't get over the "tribal."

How long do you think some churches would last if they got a good look at the real guy?

Even Moses generally looks like a Swede.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I was a history major in college who grew up on westerns in general and John Wayne in particular.  

It was something of a shock to realize that the real cowboys were the migrant farm workers of their day. Saddle Tramps, they were called.

Another thing that cracks me up was the way Hollywood romanticized pirates in Errol Flynn swashbucklers.

Real pirates were thieves, murders, and rapists.

Regards
John

 

[GotSmart]

Not to mention what Wm Cody was in real life.  He would slaughter buffalo to sell to the Railroad.  He was a huxter the equal of PT Barnum.  He wrote his own history, most of which is unable to be proven.  Why should his museum be any different?

 

[LeeRevell]

Gotta remember, all those books and movies are...... "Entertainment", not reality!

 

[Seraphim]

This isn't new, I'm still trying to figure out how some guy from the Middle East from 2000 years ago was a blond haired blue eyed white guy...

Artist of the era only had 'flesh' colored crayons...

 

[Seraphim]

Just can't  get over the "tribal."

How long do you think some churches would last if they got a good look at the real guy?

Even Moses generally looks like a Swede.

I think most churches realize the reality of Jesus' racial makeup., and consider it irrelevant.  Most videos coming out now aimed at churches use appropriate racial actors.

 

[SoulRaven]

Accidental post, sorry. Mods can delete...

 

[Canine]

I've seen pictures of Jesus riding on a dinosaur,but I don't think he was a cowboy.The one place you don't want to hear"Jesus loves you"is in a Mexican prison.

 

[highdesertranger]

well I have never been to a cowboy museum, but the cowboys I know in this day and age come in all sexes and colors. highdesertranger