Junior’s Black History Month Fact Of The Day

Day 1 - "The Real Lone Ranger," Bass Reeves

Many people don't realize that one in four cowboys was black. This is mainly because of what we've seen in a number of movies. It even felt a little strange seeing Denzel Washington take on the role of a cowboy in "The Magnificent Seven," remake, but is more accurate than we realize. It's actually believed that the real “Lone Ranger” was (or at least based off of) an African American. His name was Bass Reeves.

Reeves had been born a slave but escaped west during the Civil War. He would eventually become one of the first black deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi. It was said he was a master of disguise, an expert marksman, had a Native American companion, and rode a silver horse. Reeves has been credited with the arrest of 3,000 felons.

He would die in 1910 of Bright's Disease at the age of 71.

And THAT is Junior's Black History Month Fact Of The Day!!