“High Horse: The Black Cowboy,” directed by Jason Perez and executively produced by Jordan Peele and MonkeyPaw Productions, shines a spotlight on the rich, yet frequently overlooked, history of Black cowboys and ranchers. The series thoughtfully interweaves their enduring legacy into the narrative of today’s underrepresented cowboy culture throughout the United States.
The three-part series released in November, kicked off with a critical breakdown of the supposed, “American Cowboy” image. Black cowboys have not only contributed to, but are a reference point for, much of this sustained modern cowboy image - insisted Perez.
Part One of the series explored the historic erasure of the Black cowboy, offering an in-depth retelling of their stories that challenges the myths perpetuated by earlier storytellers, art, and literature. Part Two highlighted the importance of land ownership within the Black community during the post-slavery Reconstruction era, illustrating how systemic racism hindered the growth of ranch culture for generations. Finally, Part Three examined the “Take-Back Era,” which represents the revitalization and modernization of the Black cowboy community in the ongoing effort to preserve their legacy.
Opening the documentary, Peele jumpstarted this deconstruction by prompting a question towards the audience, “Did you know that Lone Ranger was based off of the life of Bass Reaves, a black U.S. Marshall”?
In true Peele fashion, this docu-series carries with it an undertone of horror while dealing with the erasure of black culture, with intention. Blending firsthand accounts and real events with scripted, cinematic storytelling, Perez and Peele creatively weave a compelling narrative that brings this overlooked history to life.
During a panel discussion following the screening, Perez emphasized the intrinsically horrific nature of Black cultural erasure explaining how High Horse: The Black Cowboy is just another example of why we as Black people need to do our part because we are deeply embedded into the fabric of America.
“Our erasure from history is one of the scariest real-time concepts I could imagine, which is why it was a no-brainer working with MonkeyPaw to produce this series,” Perez told the audience.
Glynn Turman, a black cowboy, New York-born actor and fellow panelist, carried this sentiment further by explaining how he reintroduced his family to cowboy culture after moving to Hollywood.
“It’s our responsibility, …but more so, our God given right to teach the younger generation that they deserve access to America’s culture. Slaves, and indentured servants alike, were the first cattle handlers and vaqueros working on the ranch, and it's about time our future sees the fruits of our pasts labor,” Turman explained to the audience.
Actors, musicians, journalists, researchers and ranchers appear throughout the film as talking heads to aid in the retelling of buried history - from Pam Grier and Tina Knowles to The Compton Cowboys, Michael Harriot and Rick Ross. From the north, south east and west parts of the country, the cowboy culture can be seen from various different perspectives.
Alongside Turman sat Perez, Grammy nominated Bun B of the infamous U.G.K., and several other executive producers of the film that brought everything full circle for the audience.
High Horse: The Black Cowboy does a great job of aligning the historical context of being a black cowboy, into the modern context of being a cowboy, black farmer and competitive rodeo. From the Tuareg people in Saharan Africa to the Compton Cowboys, to Harlem, Black people have historic ownership in the roots of cowboy culture and chronologically, in America.