The Print Center presents The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America

Popular westerns featuring actors like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Michael Landon have obfuscated the Black contribution to American cowboy culture. However, 19th-century plantations frequently used enslaved Black people to herd cattle and break in horses. Post-emancipation, at least 25 percent of cowhands, riders, trail leaders, trainers, and participants in the Homestead Act of 1862 were African American.

Although contemporary movies and TV series such as Posse (1993), ABC's The Outcasts (1968-1969), Lonesome Dove (1989), and ABC's The Young Riders (1989-1992) exist, many forget the real-life characters these films pulled from. The Lone Ranger was quite probably based upon legendary African American US Marshal Bass Reeves. Sharpshooter Nat Love moved to Dodge City, met Billy the Kid, wrangled cattle, and allegedly won a rodeo. Cleo Hearn, founder of Cowboys of Color Rodeo and winner of numerous rodeo awards, was the first African American to portray the Marlboro Man. And of course, Netflix’s Concrete Cowboy, starring Idris Elba, is based upon Philly's own Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club.

A master of American photography

Tarver, a UArts MFA grad and associate professor at Swarthmore College, where he’s also the chair of the art department, is also a Guggenheim, NEA, and Pew fellow, and the winner of multiple photojournalism awards. His work has been featured in the Smithsonian, National Geographic, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, and Time.

His thorough catalogue captures every sequence of African American cowboy culture, from red-sequined rodeo clowns to smoky livestock branding. He portrays riders of different ages, different genders, and different career levels. The Print Center’s multi-level exhibition features Tarver’s personal memorabilia, an audio-visual component, and 40 action shots, portraits, and landscapes of contemporary African American rodeo legends.

The first floor focuses on candids while the second floor incorporates more classic portraits and action shots alongside urban-infused images and sprawling landscapes. Tarver’s smartly composed photos subvert our expectations of minority populated urban enclaves such as Oakland, Harlem, and Philadelphia.

Harnessing every skill

The Normal Rockwell-esque South Philly Barbeque (Philadelphia, 1993), the traffic-defiant Black National Flag (Okmulgee, OK, 1993), Casual North Philly Ride (Philadelphia’s Dauphin Street, 1993), and One Way (New York, NY, 1993) contrast urban environs with rural flora and fauna. And because these images originated in the 90s, they serve as a visual time capsule of that period, including mini boomboxes, brightly patterned shirts, and gold hoop earrings.

Tarver harnesses skill in each photographic medium he incorporates into the collection. My favorite candid shots include The Basketball Game (Philadelphia, 1992), juxtaposing two elements of Black culture, one typically underrepresented and the other overrepresented. Sequins features a patriotically bejeweled rider with a similarly decorated horse in a metallic studded bridle (Oakland, CA, 1993). Bumpsy and Jordan highlights the clear affection between two riders of differing levels (Philadelphia, 1993), and Rodeo Queen (Okmulgee, OK, 1993) spotlights a strong-faced female rider with scarlet fringed top, a princess tiara, and the ultimate 90s accessory, gold hoop earrings.

Among Tarver’s enlarged portraits, I enjoyed the contrast between Steady, Cowgirl in Pink, Smoke and Molly and the Kid. Individually, each image captures a rider at a different age, level, or emotional perspective. Steady and Smoke show the stereotypical emotionally placid cowboys, one with gold-rimmed spectacles and hand-stitched hat encapsulated by rope, while the other, enmeshed in plaid blankets, has his face hidden by shadows. In contrast, Cowgirl in Pink and Molly and the Kid feature less stalwart images. Cowgirl shows a young rider with a determined yet hesitating expression, while Molly and the Kid captures a community member warmly nurturing a young goat.

Even Tarver’s landscapes are impeccable and skillfully captured. Walk Through the Trees (Malvern, PA, 1993) features a melancholic barren tree landscape while Sunflower Trail Ride (TX, 1994) blossoms into joyful hope. There are no one-note images here. I love the color contrast of the yellow trash bin, the faded purple flannel, and green jeans of Hard Day’s Work (Goliad, TX, 1994) and the humor in Getting Ready to Ride (Philadelphia, 1993).

A great service

This exhibition spotlights a culture that is the background of our country. I even felt connections to my own family, with a mother who listened to southern country music, a grandfather who hunted on the property, and a relative who still drives a pick-up while rocking western gear. Tarver’s images are iconic and a necessary ongoing documentation of the contribution of Black people to pioneer culture (past and present). He has done our country a great service by ensuring these images are not effaced. Everyone should engage with this history by visiting this beautiful exhibition, which is free and open to the public.

On November 8, there’s another way to connect: The Print Center is teaming with Swarthmore College for The Fletcher Street Field Trip and Picnic, including a tour of the stables and a picnic lunch. Tickets are $10. RSVP here.

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