'Delta Hill Riders': African-American cowboy culture in the Mississippi Delta

https://www.yahoo.com/ ^ | 6/15/18

[BBell]

Rory Doyle’s ongoing personal project shares the story of African-American cowboy culture in the rural Mississippi Delta, challenging the Hollywood portrayal of the American cowboy. The work highlights the black cowboys and cowgirls in the Delta as a proud group existing beyond the movie image of the American West.

The project began in early 2017 when Doyle attended a rodeo celebrating black cowboy heritage in the region. Over the past year, he’s documented this band of horse riders in a place not typically known for its cowboys.

A recent article from Smithsonian magazine estimated that one in four cowboys was African-American following the Civil War, yet this population was drastically underrepresented in popular accounts. “Delta Hill Riders” sheds light on a prominent subculture historically overlooked, even in the Mississippi Delta.

Born in 1983, Maine native Doyle is currently based in Cleveland, Miss., the heart of the Delta. Doyle’s editorial work highlights populations in the region that are often unnoticed or underserved. Along with his series about African-American Delta cowboys, he has documented the growing Latino population in an area most known for its black and white history. Doyle’s publication list includes the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, ESPN’s “The Undefeated,” Getty Images, Vox Media and the Financial Times. He also provides marketing imagery for Delta State University.

Doyle has twice assisted Ron Haviv, photographer and co-founder of VII, while he instructed the documentary photography course for Barefoot Workshops in Clarksdale, Miss.

[BBell]

When I moved down to Southern Louisiana I was surprised by the real black cowboys down here. They love their horses like any cowboy would. Growing up and living in various parts of the country I had never seen a lot of black cowboys before.

‘Delta Hill Riders’ — African-American cowboy culture in the Mississippi Delta James, a smoking Delta cowboy with a golden grill, poses for a portrait in Bolivar County, Miss., November 2017. (Photograph by Rory Doyle)

‘Delta Hill Riders’ — African-American cowboy culture in the Mississippi Delta Big Mike teaches kids to ride horses in rural Humphreys County, Miss., March 2018. (Photograph by Rory Doyle)

‘Delta Hill Riders’ — African-American cowboy culture in the Mississippi Delta Joe “Dancing Cowboy” Wrenn and his wife Barbara dance on “Cowboy Night” at Club Black Castle in Ruleville, Miss., February 2018. (Photograph by Rory Doyle)

‘Delta Hill Riders’ — African-American cowboy culture in the Mississippi Delta Grandson Javaris and grandfather Rogers pose for a portrait after riding their horses in the Christmas parade in Cleveland, Miss., Decemeber 2017. (Photograph by Rory Doyle)

‘Delta Hill Riders’ — African-American cowboy culture in the Mississippi Delta ReRe, a young cowgirl poses for a portrait at the Black Heritage Rodeo in Greenville, Miss., January 2018. (Photograph by Rory Doyle)

[A_Former_Democrat]

Gee, is nothing sacred? /sarc

[rktman]

Awesome. Makes me think of Blazing Saddles. 🍿🍻😹🐂🐎. Works for me and I've known some from when we lived there. Great folks.

[BBell]

100% cowboys and cowgirls.

[PGalt]

WOOOHOOO! Americana.

[Howie66]

Only a Liberal would be surprised at the thought of a Cowboy or a Cowgirl being black. I swear! Those people are so out of touch with who Americans are.

[MuttTheHoople]

Also busts the leftist stereotypes that blacks are helpless, ignorant animals incapable of being strong independent Americans

[Bonemaker]

Eastern city slickers just discovered black cowboys?

[Bonemaker]

Eastern city slickers just discovered black cowboys?

[RedMonqey]

I had never seen a lot of black cowboys before.

You have Hollywood to blame for this fact.

Being a "cowboy" was literally the bottom rung of society. So these were rough men of ALL races. Read some article that about a third of all cowboys were black. A large amount were of Hispanic extraction, depending on what location(North or South of the Border.)

My favorite black cowboy character was Mr. Kightlinger(sp?)of the John Wayne movie The Cowboys. Loved that movie!

[Tax-chick]

An estimated 1/3 of Caribbean and Atlantic pirates were black, too.

[Vince Ferrer]

Even the western states, the location of Hollywood westerns, had far more black cowboys than ever depicted in Hollywood movies.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Kewl!

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Amen.

[RedMonqey]

a young cowgirl poses for a portrait

This is what people should think of when the phrase " Strong, Proud and Black...but liberals think of "whitey hating Black Panthers".

Bet this young woman wouldn't manage the phrase "All hat and no cattle"

(love the warm, self assured smirk on her face)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Which is why you don’t hear much about it.

To add many Buffalo Soldiers after leaving the Army went out West and became US Marshals. Not much is written about that. My guess is that it also doesn’t fit the PC mold.

[BenLurkin]

Cattle in the Mississippi delta?

Don’t the alligators eat them?

[deport]

The Lesser-Known History of African-American Cowboys

Bill Pickett invented “bulldogging,” a rodeo technique to wrestle a steer to the ground.
Interesting that he doesn't have his chaps on but rather draped across the saddle horn.

[EEGator]

I was once driving in downtown Baltimore, and three Black dudes were riding horses. I was so confused...

[EEGator]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6xJzAYYrX8