The world still operates off outdated stereotypes: that everyone in Texas walks around rocking a cowboy hat and boots daily, and because the state leans red during elections, it is flooded with nothing but white people.
While these tropes are common, they are fundamentally incorrect.
Texas has more Black residents than any other state – predominantly in and around Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Beyond the demographics, there is another stereotype that needs correction: the idea that Black people have zero connection to Western culture. The truth is that Black Houston cowboy culture is both deeply historic and vibrantly contemporary.
‘Original’ cowboys
The Houston area is a hub for Western heritage, home to the American Cowboy Museum and the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum. It is also the home of noted historian and educator Naomi Carrier, founder and CEO of the Texas Center for African American Living History (www.txcaalh.org).
Reflecting on growing up in the 1950s, Carrier shared, “We didn’t do that cowboy thing. We didn’t know any better… I grew up with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, when TV was black and white.”
As an adult, however, she realized that learning Black Western history is a necessity.
“So that we can appreciate ourselves and quit being ashamed of our history,” she says. “We must never be ashamed.”
That history includes the very origin of the word. Carrier noted that Black men, prior to enslavement, were the first in charge of taming and caring for the horses and cattle brought to Texas by the Spanish.
“Co-existent with these cattle and these horses were these ‘boys,’” Carrier explained, emphasizing the derogatory term (boys) white people used to describe grown Black men. “These ‘boys’ were called the cowboys. They were the same color as the garden ‘boys’ and stable ‘boys,’ and any other kind of ‘boys.’”
This legacy spans from the legendary Bill Pickett, who invented “bulldogging” (steer-wrestling), to Bass Reeves, the Black lawman who Carrier discovered served as the model for the Lone Ranger. After emancipation, Black cowboys and cowgirls continued their work in trail riding, rodeoing, and cattle raising, weaving their skills into the fabric of Texas.
Mapping the heritage
For Carrier, this history is personal. Her parents met in Kendleton, TX, a historic community founded by formerly enslaved people that became a major hub for Black rodeo culture. It was in Fort Bend County where she first learned that her grandfather, Marshall Mitchell, was a cattleman.
Through research, Carrier connected her family tree to the ranching culture of the Texas coastal bend. She discovered the story of her great-great-grandmother, Hannah, who was purchased by the West family in 1854 while carrying a “for sale” sign. The Wests brought Hannah to Texas, where the family eventually settled in Sweet Home—the birthplace of Carrier’s father.
Today, Carrier’s work intersects with Larry Callies, founder of the Black Cowboy Museum in Rosenberg. Remarkably, both discovered they had ancestors owned by the same enslaver, leading them both to a life of preserving this culture—Carrier as a historian and Callies as a curator.
Contemporary reality: Cowboying in the city
Black cowboy culture is not relegated to ancient history; it is alive in almost every nook and cranny of “H-Town.” Bulldogging, trail-riding, and horse training all have a home within the city limits.
Alfred “AD” Dennis, owner of Peachtree Performance Horses, is a testament to this enduring lifestyle. Dennis built his own ranch in the middle of urban Houston—specifically in the historically Black neighborhood of Trinity Gardens.
“As a kid, I fell in love with trail riding and roping calves. I’ve been doing it now for over 40 years,” Dennis said.
Despite being told a ranch wouldn’t work in the city, he has operated his successfully for 20 years.
“When you’re Black, growing up in the ghetto, you ain’t welcome to many places, so I had to put my own place together,” shared Dennis. “It’s a piece of mind for me. Just messing with animals, that’s a piece of mind.”
A culture spread across H-Town
The presence of the Black cowboy is felt throughout the region:
- Northeast Houston: In Trinity Gardens and North Forest, students grow up riding horses and raising animals.
- South Houston: Sunnyside and South Park are home to agricultural leaders like Jeremy Peaches and Ivy Walls of Fresh Houwse Grocery, and Della Holden, founder of the Socialites Riding Network and Socialites Agriversity.
- Central Houston: The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in the Third Ward and the Taylor-Stevenson Ranch on Almeda Road continue to educate the public on the Black Western presence.
From Brazoria to Waller County, every corner of Greater Houston offers its own expression of this heritage.
Who’s got next?
The future of the culture looks bright, thanks to the mentorship between veterans like Dennis and the next generation. Lou Gill Jr., a 14-year-old student at Beatrice Mays Institute, is already a dedicated tie-down roper.
“My dad, Lou Gill Sr., is the one who really got me started,” Gill Jr. says. “Growing up around him and seeing the way he respected the cowboy lifestyle made me want to learn.”
Training under Dennis at Peachtree Performance Horses has deepened his connection to the craft.
“AD has helped me improve my roping and understand the sport on a deeper level,” Gill Jr. notes. “He has also taught me a lot about the history of Black cowboys and how important it is to represent that history the right way.
“Because of him, I’ve learned that roping is not just about winning but also about carrying on a legacy.”
As young men like Gill Jr. prepare for the professional rodeo circuit, they aren’t just practicing a sport; they are ensuring that the story of the Black Houston cowboy remains a living, breathing part of Texas.
