The Black Cowboys Hollywood Tried to Hide | Riveted: The History of Jeans | American Experience

Take a minute and picture the cowboy. He’s got on his hat and boots, maybe a gun on each hip, and, of course, his well-worn blue jeans. This is the image of the cowboy made famous in movies, portrayed by men like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Gary Cooper. But wait. The real cowboys were (and still are) way more diverse than what people saw in the movies — and more and more Black cowboys are getting their due on the silver screen.

Intro: 0:01
"The Cowboy": 0:36
The True West: 1:39
Black Cowboys: 2:45
Black Westerns then and now: 4:05
Closing: 5:45

Riveted: The History of Jeans reveals the fascinating and surprising story of this iconic American garment. At any given moment, half the people on the planet are wearing them. They have become a staple of clothing the world over, worn by everyone from presidents and supermodels to farmers and artists. More than just an item of apparel, America’s tangled past is woven into the indigo blue fabric. From its roots in slavery to its connection to the Wild West, youth culture, the civil rights movement, rock and roll, hippies, high fashion and hip-hop, jeans are the canvas on which the history of American ideology and politics is writ large.

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[paulharms]

I loved the character that Danny Glover played in Silverado. It was a good mix of the Wild West freedom aspect, along with displaying some of the racism that was still carried onto the frontier. AND, he was a badass with rifle.

[saleemwaheed]

As a Black Cowboy, I endorse this video!

[ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy]

Great commentary. It's a shame how much early Hollywood has warped people's knowledge of actual history.

[Bill-cvxu]

Stagecoach Mary was the first woman, white or black, whom had a contract with the U.S. postal service to deliver rural mail..

[afrogirl]

My dad was a kid in the 1930s and 40s. He had favorites of both the white and black movie cowboys. And was well aware of the real black cowboys of the West. Even in his 70s and 80s he loved watching old cowboy movies. I guess back then cowboys were like Marvel movies.

[jeanettewallace]

I wish Denzel Washington would get a decent screen play on the life of Sam Bass and do the movie!!

[DreamingCatStudio]

I love this. Thank you. I’d like Hollywood to make movies only with actors of color for several years, to wipe out a tiny bit of the whitewash.

[RizztrainingOrder]

What constitutes a ”cowboy”? Raising cattle? The attire? The profession?

[southeast]

Black guys started the cowboy 🤠 movement this is facts

[SKaR]

This short documentary hides the fact that there were many Black cowboy films or westerns in early cinema. A shame.

[richardmontonio]

Mexicans were first cowboys in america. Google vaquero and you will see.

[franzdoreza]

Mexicans were more likely the first “Vaqueros”.. not white or black.. and the Chinese were major builders of the railroads.. and also had a lot of racial discrimination as well but..just like Native Americans..but they still aren’t the focus of racism as the media portrays..

[elizabethworley]

This is great. I always include pictures of Black cowboys, but this is much better than anything I could say.

[katek]

This was always something I wondered about. Love this 🎉❤

[gloriousking]

And people complained about the little mermaid 😪 what an ignorante world

[southeast]

My man bass I read about bruh in high school 🏫

[angelagoodwin]

This needs to be a longer and more in-depth documentary. I hope to see more hidden history, especially on achievements of black people.

[modevildoc]

This is just another important historical data that highlights the contributions of African Americans to our country! The information has been intentionally banned from educational curriculums at all levels, especially HBCUs.

[TEMPLEOFTAQWA]

THIS IS WHY MOST WESTERN MOVIES WAS ALWAYS BORING TO ME BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE BLACK PEOPLE IN THEM.

[JB-uvhm]

One can look at the 1880 census. 1/4 of the herder work force was not black. Not even close. Were there a few? Sure. But the fact is, trail drivers - mostly racist Texans - weren’t often open to ‘racial diversity.’ And line ranches we’re not either. Get your history right.

North American Cattle-Ranching Frontiers: Origins, Diffusion and Differentiation (Histories of the American Frontier)