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Feb 16, 20243 min read

Black Cowboys II: Rodeos & Resistance in the Jim Crow Era

Pictured in the cover graphic is George Fletcher, one of the great early Black American rough-stock riders. He was born in Kansas, and grew up in Oregon. Fletcher spent his youth working horses on ranches and on the Umatilla reservation, and entered his first rodeo at age 16. At the 1911 Pendleton Roundup, he was the first Black cowboy to compete for a world championship in saddle bronc riding. Fletcher was the clear winner and declared the “people’s champion" by the crowd, but he was denied winning the championship saddle by the judges.


While Fletcher was among the 10 original inductees into the Pendleton Round-up Hall of Fame in 1969, Black cowboys of formidable talent like him encountered numerous obstacles to competition and recognition as large rodeo organizations developed. In this post, let’s take a look at how Black cowboys in the Jim Crow era worked to keep their traditions alive despite the widespread systemic and social injustices they faced.



Cowboy Competitions and the PRCA


In the late 19th-early 20th centuries, cowboy competitions where individuals could test their skills and compete for prize money started taking the place of Wild West shows with paid performers. These cowboy competitions grew into the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) in 1936, which sanctioned official rodeo events, including the National Finals Rodeo championship.


However, the combination of both the PRCA’s adoption of formal segregation laws in the Jim Crow era and informal anti-Black discrimination created barriers for Black cowboys to show their skills both officially and unofficially.


Black cowboys faced increasing pressure to disappear. Throughout the Jim Crow Era and in following decades, Black rodeo competitors continued to push for equality and resist anti-Black attitudes and practices in the PRCA including pay inequity, unfair judging, and the refusal to pay out prize money to Black award winners.


Black-Led Rodeo Circuits Persevered.


In order to keep Black cowboy culture alive, loose schedules of unofficial Black rodeo circuits called “midnight rodeos” or backyard rodeos” were created so that Black cowboys could continue to test their skills - even late at night after work with minimal prizes.


Throughout the 1940s, these midnight rodeos developed into more formal groups such as the Soul Circuit and later the Southwestern Colored Cowboys’ Association (SCCA), which continued to host Black-led competitions so that Black cowboys could continue to compete and exhibit their skills in rodeo outside the segregated PRCA.


As civil rights legislation was passed in the 60s and 70s, and Jim Crow laws were repealed, black riders started entering the PRCA.


Myrtis Dightman


Myrtis Dightman was a formidable competitor in the Soul Circuit and SCCA, Myrtis Dightman went on to become known as the “Jackie Robinson of rodeo,” because he was the first Black bull rider to compete at the PRCA National Finals Rodeo.


At times Myrtis both worked in and competed at the rodeo at the same time unlike his white competitors, all while enduring constant attempts to dissuade him from competition. He qualified for the national finals in the PRCA 7 times in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1972.[illustrating his legendary fortitude and skill.


The Circle L5


The Circle L5 was started by its 5 founders (originally known as the Silver Saddles) to create visibility for Black cowboys. They grew their membership and organized efforts to place a circle of 5 Black riders in any cowboy related event, parade, or rodeo across the country. Their first appearance at the 1949 Fort Worth Stock Show was met with resistance - they were turned away for not following bureaucratic “regulations” - yet they persevered, got their required charters, and returned year after year. They are still active to this day, continuing to raise awareness for Black cowboys.


Groups like those mentioned in this post preserved the traditions of black rodeo despite the threats of erasure presented by segregation and rampant racial discrimination.Their legacy lives on in the form of black and multicultural cowboy competitions that still exist across the U.S. today. Tune in to hear more in the next post!



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