They ride horses, rope calves, buck broncos, ride and fight bulls, and even wrestle steers. They are Black cowboys, and the legacies of their pursuits intersect with those of America's struggle for racial equality, human rights, and social justice.
Keith Ryan Cartwright brings to life the stories of such pioneers as Cleo Hearn, the first Black cowboy to professionally rope in the Rodeo Cowboy Association; Myrtis Dightman, who became known as the Jackie Robinson of Rodeo after being the first Black cowboy to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo; and Tex Williams, the first Black cowboy to become a state high school rodeo champion in Texas.
Black Cowboys of Rodeo: Unsung Heroes from Harlem to Hollywood and the American West author Keith Ryan Cartwright talks about his unlikely career in the PBR from the world of entertainment to the production of this pivotal book. Black Cowboys of Rodeo is a collection of one hundred years of stories, told by these revolutionary Black pioneers themselves and set against the backdrop of Reconstruction, Jim Crow, segregation, the civil rights movement, and eventually the integration of a racially divided country.
We’ve mentioned Janie Johnson on all three seasons of the That Western Life, which may come across a bit creepy, but just goes to show how big of a fans we all are from the podcast! Janie is fresh off of RFD-TV’s The American, a crazy week full of tailgate parties, performances and exciting story lines, so we were excited to chat with her more about all things pro rodeo!
Read MoreArlington, Texas (December 8, 2020) - Welcome to the halfway point of the 2020 National Finals Rodeo. If you haven’t been paying attention as of yet, you’re going to want to from here on out! From a flat out HORSE RACE in the barrel racing between the number one and number two barrel racers to unpredicted outcomes looming on the horizon for tie down roping and bull riding - 2020 refuses to be considered normal!
Read MoreShe's the 2019 Texas Circuit Champion barrel racer and the 2018 WPRA Resistol Rookie of the Year, a Texas Cowgirl that has won A LOT of money on her special horse, "LenaOnTheRocks" or "Lena." Today's guest is Jimmie Smith whose illustrious rodeo career started long before the 2018 Rookie title… She's a three-time CPRA finalist, was the 2018 Puyallup PRCA Champion and placed third at the Ellensburg (Washington) rodeo.
Read MoreJanzen Tew may be known for her Rodeo Vogue fashion page but she’s lived a multi-faceted, career driven life. The face and owner of Denim + Velvet Marketing, Janzen walks us through how she met her team roping professional cowboy husband (Cody Tew), her initial thought of being a dentist, and how everything changed the moment she picked up a camera!
Falling in love with photography, she worked for some of the biggest names in western retail and, taking those skills, she wanted to give boutiques the opportunity for next level marketing and product photography. Her team of amazing women provide just that as they book shoots, weddings, product shoots, lifestyle photography, marketing, websites, logos, designs and more!
Stay tuned for an education and inspiring podcast with none other than Janzen herself!
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