Immersing ourselves in the echoes of the American West, we are transported to a time and place where the landscape was vast, and the spirit of adventure was as relentless as the cattle drives that crossed it. This era of the Wild West is often characterized by images of rugged cowboys, but seldom do we acknowledge the African American cowboys who played a pivotal role in shaping the American frontier. These unsung heroes faced the challenges of a post-slavery America, overcoming discrimination and prejudice to carve out their place in history.

One such figure was Bose Ikard, a man whose name became synonymous with resilience and exceptional skill in the world of cattle drives. A former slave, Ikard's life was a testament to the tenacity and fortitude that were the hallmarks of these cowboys. His involvement with the Goodnight-Loving Trail exemplified the critical role that black cowboys played in the cattle industry and, by extension, in the establishment of an integrated national food market during the late 19th century.

The tales of these cowboys are filled with the raw beauty and unyielding challenges of the Wild West. They were not just herders of cattle; they were trailblazers in every sense of the word. Multilingual, skilled in entertainment and culinary arts, and sometimes serving as nurses and bodyguards, these cowboys demonstrated a versatility and adaptability that were crucial to their survival and success on the trail. Their camaraderie and the respect they earned from their peers speak volumes about their character and the spirit that fueled their journey across the plains.

Bose Ikard's partnership with cattle barons like Charles Goodnight and his ability to handle the most harrowing of situations, such as taming wild broncs or facing down stampedes and elements, is a narrative rich in courage and perseverance. It is a story that also underscores the racial barriers these cowboys faced and overcame. The legacy of African American cowboys is not just a footnote in history; it is a vibrant thread in the tapestry of America's story, urging us to recognize and celebrate the diversity of our shared heritage.

The rich imagery of cowboy life, with its connection to the land and the hardships faced, is further evoked through traditional songs and tales of the open range. These stories serve as a powerful reminder of the love these cowboys had for their job, despite the rough conditions and the emotional toll it took on them. It is through these narratives that we gain a fuller understanding of the past and a new appreciation for the hidden faces that have shaped our collective history.

By acknowledging the central role that African American cowboys played in the narrative of the American West, we are invited to look beyond the stereotypes and recognize the significant contributions these figures made to the legacy of the West. This episode serves as a tribute to individuals like Bose Ikard, whose life and legacy have become part of American folklore. Their stories, though often overlooked, are as enduring as the landscape they once rode across, forever altering our perception of the legendary American West.

As we reflect on the history and legacy of African American cowboys like Bose Ikard and Nat Love, we are reminded of the importance of reclaiming this diverse heritage and honoring the true diversity of the characters who forged the American West. It is through this exploration and celebration that we ensure the spirit and stories of these cowboys continue to echo through time, inspiring future generations to acknowledge and learn from the richness of our history.

The Kansas Cow Town grew out of necessity to satisfy man's needs. In addition, cattle were to provide these towns with their chief means of support in the two decades the cattle business endured. During this time, some five to six million cows parted through the myriad shipping points on their way to the market. Of the many towns that grew up around this thriving enterprise, only four or five ever received national prominence as wild and woolly cowtowns. One is Dodge City.
The few existing settlements catered to the appetites of buffalo hunters. Dodge City, Kansas, called initially "Buffalo City," was an example. New contenders within the new settlement acknowledged that the buffalo were disappearing and that the buffalo-hunter town needed a new raison d’être (a purpose for making a living), or they would die. The business leadership of Dodge City vigorously advertised the town's wide-open character, its open range, and its flexible enforcement of laws regulating gambling, prostitution, and public drunkenness. It already had a full-bodied gambling, drinking, and prostitution infrastructure to nurse the buffalo hunters, and it was just a matter of discovering new customers. This would be the cowboys associated with the cattle drives coming up the newly established Western trail that would provide prosperity.
When they learned that Dodge City's preparatory role was to serve as a supply point and way station for herds, city organizers mustered to form future business ventures to keep the cattle drives from circling the western end of town; a plan was needed to lure cowboys into local establishments before moving on to Ogallala. As the cattle-shipping season of 1876 loomed, Dodge City townsmen braced for a new economic opportunity. They formed a special council on Christmas Eve of 1875. This particular council of businessmen men met to appoint provisional officials. These selected men were to hold office until a municipal election was planned for the following April. The special counsel immediately parted in differences, and on Christmas Eve of 1875, Dodge City became a divided town. The division came when one of the members of the individual committees proposed the idea of ordnances.
He stated, "We should have an ordinance prohibiting the firing of guns within the city limits. He continued to make his point by stating, "I also believe we should have a law not allowing the riding of horses over sidewalks and into the saloons."
A bitter debate broke out. Those businessmen who hungered after the cattlemen's trade strongly opposed any restrictions on the Cowboys. This side of the discussion feared the cattlemen would look elsewhere for a shipping point.
Heading this group was Bob Wright, the former Fort Dodge sutler, whose general store partnered with Charlie Rath, one of the first businesses established in Dodge City. In 1876 and for many years, Bob Wright was Dodge City's most prosperous businessman. Allied with Wright were James H. ("Dog") Kelley and his partner, Peter L. Beatty, proprietors of the Alhambra Saloon, Gambling Hall, and Restaurant. George B. Cox, another early arrival, always sided with the Wright forces. Cox came to Dodge City from Larned in 1872 and built the thirty-eight-room Dodge House, which opened on January 18, 1873.
Opposing the Dodge City Gang was a group of men who proclaimed to stand for law and order, led by wholesale liquor dealer George M. Hoover. Physician Sam Galland, lawyer Dan M. Frost, and livery stable owner Ham Bell were preeminent in this faction. Hoover was a Dodge pioneer, having sold whiskey to the soldiers from Fort Dodge in a tent on the townsite as early as 1871. Galland, Frost, and Bell did not establish residence until 1874. However, early settlers Wright, Kelley, Cox, and others considered them johnnies-come-lately and resented their attempts to change the town's character. Peter L. Beatty was selected as acting mayor. Beatty served as Mayor from the December 1875 meeting of town leaders until April 1876.
Dodge City, however, was about the limit of westward shifts of the cattle drives. Dodge was in the middle of the prairie, providing thousands of acres of grassland for cattle to fatten on while they waited for their trains to the East and recovered from the cattle drive to Dodge. Fredric R. Young, in his book "Dodge City: Up through the Century," explained in 1972 an advertisement that appeared in the Dodge City Times as a means to draw the cattle trade to Dodge City:

The narrative of the American West is rich and complex, yet one aspect that has been overshadowed is the contribution of Black American Cowboys. These men, emerging post-Civil War, found autonomy and respect that contrasted starkly with their lives in the South. Their expertise in cattle management and trailblazing roles was indispensable in the expansion of the cattle industry, and yet their tales remain largely untold. Roughly one-quarter of 19th-century cowboys were Black, a statistic that surprises many due to the lack of representation in popular culture.

The podcast episode not only uncovers the general history of these cowboys but also zooms in on the life of one particular cowboy, Nat Love, whose adventures epitomize the experiences of many Black cowboys. Love, born into slavery, would become a legend in his own right, known as Deadwood Dick. His memoir offers a first-person perspective of a Black cowboy's life, filled with danger, adventure, and a journey towards self-discovery.

Through the podcast, we traverse Love's path from the plantations of the South to the open ranges of the West. We witness his early struggles and the remarkable moment when he tamed a wild horse, leading to his hiring by a Texas cattle company. The episode delves into his encounters with Native American tribes, his ascension through the ranks of the Gallinger Ranch in Arizona, and his extraordinary skills that earned him the nickname Red River Dick.

The resilience of these cowboys is evident as we recount the various roles they assumed beyond herding cattle. They were multilingual trail cooks, entertainers, and sometimes even served as nurses and bodyguards. The episode sheds light on the discriminatory challenges they faced, but also the respect and camaraderie they earned from their peers on the trail.

We also explore the cultural significance of the term "cowboy" and its transition from a term of contempt to one of respect. Furthermore, the podcast delves into the contributions of these cowboys to the Western cattle trails, their roles in the great cattle drives, and the skills they brought from their African heritage that proved invaluable in managing the vast herds of cattle that roamed the American plains.

As we navigate the history of these cowboys, we also pay tribute to the courage and spirit that characterized their lives. The episode concludes by reinforcing the central role that Black cowboys played in the narrative of the American West and celebrates their legacy, which has been long overdue for recognition.

The episode is a testament to the rich tapestry of American history and the diverse characters who shaped it. It is an invitation to look beyond the stereotypes and acknowledge the significant contributions of Black cowboys to the legacy of the West. Through stories of individuals like Nat Love, we gain a fuller understanding of the past and a new appreciation for the hidden faces that have shaped our collective history.

In conjunction with The Western Cattle Trail Association, Wild West Podcast will present a two-part series on the History of the African American Cowboy during the month of February 2024. You can join us on Wednesday, February 14, and Wednesday, February 21, to get an inside look at the Life and Times of Nat Love and Bose Ikard. 
The podcast series about Nat Love and Bose Ikard tells the stories of the grandeur of the West in a more extensive cultural arena. As the West was settled and assembled, the exploits of these individuals became legends, and grand narratives about them were handed down to many a campfire. Over time, though, these legends have been overlooked. Now is the juncture as we celebrate Black History Month to recall again the contributions of these courageous and heroic African Americans. Nat Love was indeed an American hero, right along with Bose Izard. We hope you will enjoy these stories. So join us here on February 14th and 21st

​In the heart of Abilene, Kansas, a remarkable transformation took place. The birth of the first cow town was a spectacle to behold, complete with a pen capable of housing a thousand head of cattle, a hotel, a bank office, and a livery stable. The mastermind behind this impressive feat? Joseph G McCoy. McCoy's innovative ideas and ambitious vision led to the establishment of this flourishing cow town and paved the way for a booming cattle trade industry.
However, the influence of McCoy extended beyond the realm of the cattle industry. His work was instrumental in shaping the broader historical era of Western Expansion. The revitalization of the cattle industry under his watch led to the establishment of numerous stock ranges and played a pivotal role in bridging the north-south divide that had persisted following the Civil War.
McCoy's efforts in the cattle industry were nothing short of transformative. He perceived the considerable disparities in cattle values between Texas and northern states and sought to establish a depot where the Southern Drove and Northern Buyer could meet on equal terms. His ambition resulted in a unique transportation system that brought Texas cattle to the market, greatly impacting the mid-continent regions.
Joseph G McCoy's influence reached far beyond the cattle industry. His contributions were pivotal in shaping the Western Expansion and played a significant role in healing the animosity between northern and southern states, which had been created by the abolition movement in the Civil War. This episode prompts us to imagine what the West would have looked like if McCoy had not played his part in history.
McCoy's vision did not only stimulate the cattle industry but also ignited a period of unprecedented growth in Western America. The cattle trade, driven by the establishment of McCoy's cow town, catalyzed the development of new homes, farms, schools, and communities. It is a testament to McCoy's foresight and innovative thinking that the Western expansion was accelerated, paving the way for a period of prosperity and progress.

Old Blue made the trip from the Palo Duro Canyon eight times, leading thousands of cattle to Dodge City. The steer was rewarded by being retired to pasture on Goodnight’s JA Ranch, where he lived to be 20 years old. 
Source: Deeringer, Martha. “Old Blue: Top Hand on the Trail.” Texas Co-op Power. January 2010. 
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Cowboys during the l880s were fortunate that not all their time had to be spent on the trail. Once in a while, they got to come into town. In his book Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West, Christopher Knowlton says that a cowboy's first thought was to get clean once in town after a stint on the dusty trail. A boarding house, often just a simple dormitory with cots, offered a chance to shave and take a much-needed bath. Knowlton says that in such an establishment, cowboys "often encounter[ed] rows of bathtubs and sinks where communal toothbrushes hung on strings, alongside communal towels, hairbrushes, mirrors, and combs." 
The Dodge House, which opened in l873, advertised, "Sheets will be changed...once in six months-oftener if necessary...beds with or without bugs".
 After becoming "presentable," a cowboy would walk the streets of town, looking at merchandise in shops, stopping for a haircut, or even having his photograph taken. He would make some purchases: tobacco or thread, perhaps. But the next stop was almost always the local saloon. 
A high-end saloon like the Varieties in Dodge City would have brass cuspidors for spitting tobacco and gaming tables and perhaps a dance floor. A shot of whisky usually costs fifty cents, while a quarter would buy a beer. And, yes, there were women: hurdy-gurdy girls were around to dance with—but nothing more. Prostitutes were available for between one to five dollars, although some charged more. 
Knowlton says that Cowboy Teddy Blue recalled, "I suppose those things would shock a lot of respectable people. But we weren't respectable, and we didn't pretend to be". 
There was gunplay, too, of course, but perhaps not as much as Hollywood movies lead us to think. According to Knowlton, "Most cowboys did not carry weapons at all....and most cowboys knew that wearing a six-shooter in a cattle town was an invitation to gunplay". 
The important thing, instead, was to get to town, get cleaned up, and have a good time—then return to the cattle drive the next day. 
For more information on the history of the cattle industry in the 1800s, you can join us at www.westerncattletrailassoc.com. Join us today as we celebrate our 150th anniversary.

Source: Knowlton, Christopher. Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West. First Mariner Books. 2018.