MEET BASS REEVES, THE TRAILBLAZING BLACK DEPUTY WHO PATROLLED THE WILD WEST

From escaping slavery as a young man to arresting 3,000 outlaws as a deputy, the story of Bass Reeves is the stuff of legend.

Contrary to what classic Westerns might lead us to believe, one in four American cowboys was actually African American. But we don’t necessarily get that reality when the only image of a cowboy that we have in our minds is John Wayne or The Lone Ranger.

But interestingly enough, the inspiration behind The Lone Ranger may have actually been the real-life Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a Black man who fled the Civil War, befriended the Seminole and Creek Indians, and eventually became one of the greatest lawmen in the Wild West.

As the story goes, Reeves arrested more than 3,000 outlaws and killed 14 criminals — without ever sustaining a gunshot wound. His whole life was defined by stranger-than-fiction experiences. And many people whom he arrested were sent to the House of Corrections in Detroit, which was the same city where The Lone Ranger was first introduced via radio in 1933.

Of course, it’s worth noting that there’s no concrete proof that Bass Reeves inspired the famous character. But according to biographer Art T. Burton, “Bass Reeves is the closest real person to resemble the fictional Lone Ranger on the American western frontier of the nineteenth century.”

And in some ways, Reeves’ real life was even more incredible than the fictional character he potentially inspired.

Bass Reeves

HISTORY UNCOVERED PODCAST

Episode 23: Bass Reeves, The Black Lone Ranger Of The Wild West

In three decades on the American frontier, Bass Reeves rounded up thousands of outlaws and secured his place in U.S. history.

From Slave To Soldier On The Run

Plantation Slavery

Bass Reeves was born during the Antebellum Era, a turbulent time period before the American Civil War.

Born a slave in 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas, Bass Reeves served Arkansas state legislator William S. Reeves. Initially, Bass Reeves worked as a water boy and later became a field hand.

When William S. Reeves died, his son George made Bass Reeves his personal companion and servant. And when the Civil War broke out, Reeves went into battle with his master and was forced to fight for the Confederacy.

It was during the Civil War that Reeves made his great escape. As the story goes, Reeves beat up his master after a dispute over cards — and then fled to avoid punishment. (However, others say Reeves simply heard that slaves were being freed and decided to run in order to free himself.)

Confederate Army Campsite

The New York Public Library

An illustration of a Confederate campsite during the Civil War.

Whatever the case, Reeves soon took refuge with the Creek and Seminole Indians in what is now Oklahoma. He learned their languages and customs, and sharpened his skills as an ambidextrous marksman.

When all slaves were freed in 1865, Reeves was no longer a fugitive. So he decided to leave Indian Territory to farm his own land near Van Buren, Arkansas. A year later, he married Nellie Jennie of Texas. The couple ultimately raised five girls and five boys together.

While Reeves was a successful farmer, rancher, and father, he occasionally worked as a scout and used his tracking skills to help lawmen find criminals — but his true second act had yet to begin.

How Bass Reeves Became A Deputy U.S. Marshal

Bass Reeves

Bass Reeves was known for his exceptional shooting skills — and his ability to dodge bullets.

In 1875, Isaac C. Parker was appointed federal judge of Indian Territory. During the chaos of the Civil War, Indian Territory — where federal and state governments had virtually no jurisdiction — had become a popular hiding ground for outlaws. And fugitives took full advantage of the area.

Parker hired U.S. Marshal James F. Fagan to lead 200 deputies in the pursuit of these outlaws. The stories of Reeves’ familiarity with the land and his own fugitive past eventually got around to Fagan. And Reeves was soon hired on as a Deputy U.S. Marshal. Reeves, along with the other deputies, was ordered to bring the outlaw

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