photo #6245924

BLACK COWHANDS, 1911. Articles about Black cowhands in the Old West typically include at least one of the eight photos Erwin E. Smith took at the “Negro State Fair,” as it was titled at the time. Held at Bonham in North Texas during August 23 – 27, the 1911 event had four days of races, rodeo events, parades, and a talent show. Census records the year before the start of the Civil War in 1861 listed 180,682 slaves in Texas, 30 percent of the state’s population. Since Texas had been part of Mexico until 1836, many of the early cowboys were also Hispanic. After the War, many non-white cowhands trailed longhorns to various markets. Text and digital restoration of photo by G.J. Coffrin. @CherokeeOwl 🦉 @BrettColdwell