n the annals of the American West, a place where legends were born among both lawmen and outlaws, one name stands out—a name as tough as Billy the Kid, as quick on the draw as Wild Bill Hickok, and as formidable as a galloping Pony Express horse. This name belongs to Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a towering figure both in stature and legend. At 6 feet 2 inches, with a mustache so strong that it was said to shatter bricks, Bass Reeves was a force to be reckoned with.
“He was like the Michael Jordan of frontier lawmen,” acclaimed biographer Art Burton remarked. “He could whip any two men with his bare hands.”
Bass Reeves patrolled the heart of the Indian and Oklahoma Territories with near impunity, a living nightmare for any outlaw. Art Burton, an expert in African American Studies, reflected on his research, saying, “When I was doing the research, I was shaking my head all the time, saying people are not going to believe this.”
One might think that a wild west story as captivating as Reeves’ would tell itself. However, when Burton embarked on his quest to unravel the life of this extraordinary figure, he encountered numerous dead ends. Even tracing the Bass Reeves family tree proved to be a challenge. One phone call to a woman who had never heard of him revealed a stark truth—Black history had not been preserved as it should have been.
Before he became a lawman, Bass Reeves was a fugitive—a runaway slave from Texas. Remarkably, he would go on to make a name for himself by arresting white outlaws. Yet, his remarkable story remained largely forgotten, akin to a ghost town, until now.
In the eyes of many, it’s high time that Bass Reeves takes his rightful place in the annals of American history. One individual noted, “He’s the stuff of legend. I cannot imagine him being white, and having the kind of career he had, and it not be a major motion picture already, maybe several times over.”
For actor David Oyelowo, the tale of Bass Reeves is the American West’s best-kept secret, eclipsing even the Lone Ranger’s legend. Oyelowo pointed out, “It’s one thing to be a white guy with a mask, riding a pretty damn wonderful horse. It’s another thing to be doing that with limited resources. You’re a Black man coming out of enslavement, and you do it for 30-plus years, and no one is paying you any attention? It sort of feels intentional almost, that we don’t know more about him.”
Oyelowo, in collaboration with Paramount+ (CBS’ sister network), embarked on an ambitious project to bring this unsung hero’s story to the forefront. The eight-part series, titled “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” boasts a star-studded cast, including veteran actors like Donald Sutherland and Dennis Quaid.
Dennis Quaid, who relished the opportunity to participate in the Western production, commented, “It’s great to do a Western, man. It’s like being 12 years old again. It really is.”
What struck Quaid was the authenticity of Bass Reeves. He observed, “The thing was that Bass Reeves really was the real deal. He really was that.”
To prepare for his role, David Oyelowo delved into slave narratives housed in the Library of Congress to master his character’s speech patterns. He even learned to rope and ride, pushing his boundaries. Oyelowo shared his insight into the man Bass Reeves must have been, noting that excellence was his best weapon against prejudice.
“A tenet I live my life by is that excellence is the best weapon against prejudice,” Oyelowo stated. “He was excellent. It was difficult to just say, ‘Oh, that’s a Black man who is unworthy, who should be subjugated.’ You couldn’t dismiss him in that way. And that’s also the reason why not celebrating him is wrong.”
Bass Reeves lived to the age of 71, spending his later years in the frontier town of Muskogee. Every year, at the Bass Reeves Western History Conference, Reeves is remembered and celebrated, though the location of his final resting place remains a mystery. To Art Burton, that mystery pales in comparison to the significance of Reeves’ legacy.
The story of Bass Reeves is a testament to the fact that, no matter how long it takes, greatness will ultimately come to light. Burton expressed his gratitude, saying, “I used to always wonder, where were we [in stories of the Old West]? So it’s like, God answered my prayers by giving me somebody, before I passed away, that said, ‘Well, we were part of the scene, too.'”
Bass Reeves, the American West’s unsung hero, has finally found his place in history.
Image Source: Google