Black People who Made the Old West
From earliest times, black men and women helped shape the frontier of this country. Here are explorers, traders, businessmen, and public-spirited citizens who, along with whites, became our first heroes. Estevanico and York opened up the wilderness. Lucy Terry Prince crusaded for her rights in colonial New England. Bill Pickett was one of the greatest cowboys of the day. In the far West, George Washington Bush, Clara Brown, and Edwin P. McCabe were among the first to establish communities for blacks. Many migrated to the Midwest and then Northwest to escape slavery. They prospected for gold or silver, drove cattle up the Chisholm Trail, and served in United States infantry and cavalry regiments. And though some, like Deadwood Dick or Cherokee Bill, had notorious reputations, most were average, hard-working folk who formed an important part of the frontier fabric.