Reading Lists - Black Cowboys and African Americans in the West

The following books are recommended for children in grades 4-8. This list was compiled by using the on-line catalog of the Louisville Free Public Library. All books may not be available in every branch and there may only be single copies available. For more information or to verify the information listed below, you may want to check the Louisville Free Public Library's listings directly.

• Cox, Clinton. The Forgotten Heroes. New York: Scholastic, 1993
  Recounts the history of the 9 th and 10 th Calvary regiments, comprised of African American soldiers who kept peace between Indians and settlers on the western frontier, fought in the Spanish-American War, and pursued the outlaw Pancho Villa through Mexico .
• DeAngelis, Gina. The Black Cowboys. Broomall: Chelsea Publishers, 1998. 104 pp.
  An account of the adventurous African Americans whose exploits contributed to the legends of the Wild Wild West.
• Durham, Phillip. The Negro Cowboys . New York : Dodd, Mead. 278 pp.
  Relates the little known history of the Negro Cowboys who played an integral part in the building of the American West.
• Everett, Percival L. God's Country. Boston: Faber and Faber, 1994
• Falsom, Franklin. Black Cowboy: the life and legend of George McJunkin. Niwot, Colo.:
• Flipper, Henry O. Black Frontiersmen. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University Press, 1997. 190 pp.
• Hanes, Bailey C. Bill Pickett, bulldogger: The Biography. Norman: University of Nebraska Press. 1997. 207 pp.
• Johnson, Cecil. Guts: Legendary Black Rodeo Cowboy Bill Picket. Fort Worth : Sumit Group, 1994.
• Katz, William L. The Black West. Seattle: Open Hand Publishers, 1987. 348 pp.
  A History of the black people who participated in the development of the Western frontier in the United States , in such categories as the explorers, fur traders, early settlers, slaves, cowboys, and soldiers.
• Lester, Julius. Black Cowboy, Wild Horses: a true story. New York : Dial Books, 1998.
  A black cowboy is so intoned with wild mustangs that accept him into the herd, thus enabling him single handedly to take them to the corral.
• Miller, Robert. Mountain Men. Parsippany: Silver Burdett Press, 1999. 93 pp.
  Tells the stories of various African Americans who made contributions to the settling of the American West.
• Miller, Robert. Pioneers. Parsippany: Silver Burdett Press, 1999. 122 pp.
  Tells the stories of various African Americans who made contributions to the settling of the American West.
• Miller, Robert. Cowboys. Parsippany: Silver Burdett Press, 1999. 92 pp.
  Tells the stories of various African Americans who made contributions to the settling of the American West, including Bill Pickett, Mary Fields, Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper, Alvin Coffey, etc.
• Miller, Robert. Pioneers. Parsippany: Silver Burdett Press, 1999. 112 pp.
  Tells the stories of various African Americans who made contributions to the settling of the American West. .
• Miller, Robert. Cowboys . Parsippany: Silver Burdett Press, 1999. 92 pp.
  Tells the Stories of various African Americans who made contributions to the settling of the American West.
• Miller, Robert. Reflections of a Black Cowboy. Englewood Cliffs: Silver Burdett Press, 1991
• Miller, Robert. The Story of Nat Love . Morristown : Silver Press, 1995. 1 v.
• Miller, Robert. The Story of Stagecoach Mary Fields. Morristown: Silver Press, 1995.
• Myers, Walter Dean. The Journal of Joshua Loper. New York: Scholastic, 1999. 158 pp.
  In 1871 Joshua Loper, a sixteen year old cowboy, records in his journal his experiences while making his first cattle drive under an unsympathetic trail boss.
• Pelz, Ruth. Black Heroes of the Wild West. Seattle: Open Hand, 1990. 55 pp.
  Biographical sketches of nine African American pioneers.
• Ravage, John. Black Pioneers. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1997. 224 pp.
• Roberts Rinehart Publishers. 162 pp.
• Savage, William S. Blacks in the West. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1976. 230 pp.
• Schissel, Lillian. Black Frontiers. 80 pp.
• Schlissel, Lillian. Black Frontiers. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1995. 80 pp.
  Focuses on the experiences of the blacks as mountain men, soldiers, homesteaders, and scouts on the frontiers of the American West.
• Stovall, TaRessa. The Buffalo Soldiers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 104 pp.
  An account of achievements of the African American regiments that distinguished themselves during numerous campaigns and played a vital role in the settlement of the American West.
• Trucker, Phillip Thomas. Cathy Williams, from slave to Buffalo Soldier . Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 2002.
• Wright, Courtni C. Waggon Train. New York: Holiday House, 1995.
• Wukovits, John F. The Black Cowboys. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 64 pp.
  A history of the exploits of Jim Beckwourth, Bill Peckett, Bose Ikard and other African American cowboys who contributed to the development of the American West.
• Yount, Lisa. Frontiers of Freedom. 140 pp.