Was there racial separation in the Old West? Could a Black cowboy go into a Tombstone saloon?
Jeffery S. King —Washington, DC
It’s difficult, if not impossible, to provide a simple answer. The West is the largest region in the United States, and the period known as the Old West spanned just a few decades, but many parts of the West were settled by Southerners, so segregation prevailed in those areas.
Being a cowboy was one of the few jobs open to men of color. Black and white cowboys mixed and mingled with each other. Working for an outfit meant “riding for the brand.” If cowboys working for the same outfit came into a saloon, it’s likely they drank together, and if anybody didn’t like it, there was a good chance a brawl occurred. Black and white, those who rode for the brand stuck together in the ruckus.
Several other accounts reported violence when Blacks tried to get served in “white” bars and vice versa.
Pity the poor Chinese. Most of the animosity and prejudice in the West was directed at them. This eased some of the discrimination against Blacks.
How did Indians communicate with whites?
Bob Powers — Cincinnati, Ohio
This story is from the February - March 2022 edition of True West.
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This story is from the February - March 2022 edition of True West.
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