Bass Reeves

kenyaworkspace:

I stumbled upon the story of Bass Reeves at the Macon Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library a few years ago and have been sharing it with the children I’ve taught since that introduction.  Although the story of Dangerfield Newby has been circulating as the ‘real-life Django’ and the romance of his story is appealing, it’s clear that most legends are a succotash of true events.  In saying, Bass Reeves is certainly an important ingredient to the stew: “as one of the first African Americans (possibly the first) to receive a commission as a Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River.”  He was a crack shot and lived to the ripe age of 72, escaping the hangman’s noose (or in the case of Mr. Newby, a bullet to the throat). The Legend of Bass Reeves: Being The True and Fiction Account of The Most Valiant Marshall in The West is available at your local library/ bookseller / online retailer.  (Teach the babies, educate yourself.)
bim.