Bass Reeves
The year is 1875, and you're in the dusty, dangerous American Wild West. Outlaws, thieves, and criminals roam free, and there’s only one man brave enough to chase them down and bring them to justice. His name? Bass Reeves—one of the most legendary lawmen in American history. Bass was one of the first Black U.S. Marshalls, and even though the times were tough, he did his best. Bass didn’t care what you thought. He did what was right and he would chase criminals for hundreds of miles. Some criminals even turned themselves in because they were afraid of him.
Bass Reeves was born a slave in Arkansas. He didn't stay a slave though. He ran to Oklahoma when he escaped from slavery. It was a tough and wild place. There weren’t many lawmen, so criminals weren’t afraid of getting caught. There were bank and train robberies, and gun fights that happened all the time. Bass moved from place to place in Oklahoma where he lived with a number of different Indian tribes. He learned to speak their language and how to track people. He also became good at using disguises. He started as a scout for U.S. Marshalls. He was fearless and he chased down outlaws like a bloodhound. He could track people through forests, across rivers, and the desert. Eventually, he became a Marshall himself. His skills helped him capture over 3,000 criminals. That’s more than any other lawman at that time! Bass was fair to the criminals he caught, but he didn’t back down from anyone. During his time as Marshall he killed 14 men.
Being the first Black U.S. Marshals in the Wild West was a huge deal. He was a skilled and respected lawman, but many people were racist and didn’t believe that Black people could be trusted with powerful jobs, or be brave or smart. It can’t be proven, but some people believe the Lone Ranger was based on the life of Deputy Marshall Reeves. The Lone Ranger was a radio show before TV existed. In the 1940’s, it was made into a television show. Even though Bass Reeves was the real deal and a real-life hero in American history, the Lone Ranger character was white because of racism. The real Bass Reeves showed the world that anyone can make a huge difference no matter who they are or what color their skin is.