The Black West
The Black West(1993) Except in movies made for African-American audiences, until recently Americans were not exposed to black cowboys, either in movies or books. In fact, there were over 10,000 African-American cowboys throughout the 19th century West. This should not be surprising. Cowboying was a tough dirty job, with poor food, long hours, and the likelihood of a bad back and broken health. Many cowboys were African-American, Mexican, or some mixture.
Black cowboys taught Teddy Roosevelt how to break a horse and showed Will Rogers his first rope trick. This documentary, including some re-enactments, provides wonderful insights in a vital aspect of the American West.
One must look elsewhere for a psychological explanation as to why the movies and historians have, until recently, ignored the Black West. For example, four Black army regiments formed the Buffalo Soldiers, who bore the brunt of post-Civil War Indian wars.
My recollection is that Sergeant Rutledge (1960) was the first Hollywood movie in which an African-American soldier was portrayed [he was falsely accused of raping a white woman]. Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles (1974) was a parody of the American western featuring a black sheriff. For the real story, watch The Black West.