An excerpt from Blavity -
'White America Has Been Lied To, Too': 'High Horse: The Black Cowboy' Is Required Viewing, Says Bun B
A new docuseries explores the history of the Black cowboy and the erasure of Black people from Western culture.
Executive produced by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, High Horse: The Black Cowboy, a three-part pop culture and historical docuseries, not only confronts the Wild West but also reclaims it, revealing “the Black cowboy whose history has been stolen, erased and left untold.”
The Peacock series features conversations with Peele, Tina Knowles, Glynn Turman, Pam Grier, The Compton Cowboys, Rick Ross, Bun B and others, aiming to set the record straight about the American Frontier.
“It’s essential that we know these things occurred with Black involvement,” Bun B told Blavity’s Shadow and Act in a recent interview.
“That’s the first thing. It’s important that we acknowledge and recognize those things. Then, we’ve got to amplify the voices of people who are trying to get this information out. Because I can understand on its nose, there could be some sort of projection about having to learn about Black people. But this is not Black history. This is American history. We’re as contributive to this struggle as the people who built the railroads across this country. And I think it’s time that it was put in its proper perspective. I think the way this documentary was shot, and the way it was put together and edited, does it amazingly. It puts everything exactly where it needs to be placed, and for those who have done so much of the heavy lifting, with no recognition, they finally get their grace. We finally give them the glory and their flowers.”
Clearing up common misconceptions about Black people’s role in the American West
Bernard James Freeman, known to the world as Bun B, was born in Houston and raised in Port Arthur, Texas. He said being part of this production taught him a lot about the history of the Black cowboy that he wasn’t aware of.
“I didn’t know that some of the first African slaves were brought here specifically because of their skills with animals,” the rapper turned businessman and educator said.
“And I did not know that the term cowboy was not only a Black term, but it was also a derogatory term. You know, the reason it’s not considered derogatory now is because they’ve erased the idea of the Black man being the first cowboy. First thing they did was change the narrative of what a cowboy was and how he looked, right? This automatically excluded our involvement from a certain perspective. So, now I’m glad that we get to go back and offer reclamation of these things, but also lay them out in the proper way so people can understand why those things happened that way.”
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