Today In Black History
Bass Reeves, Acclaimed 19th Century U.S. Deputy Marshall, and Model for the Lone Ranger
Issue #554 Today In Black History, Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Today’s Black History WOW!
Bass Reeves was born into slavery in 1838 near Fort Smith, Arkansas. He escaped from his enslavement during the Civil War and eventually settled in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma.
Standing at 6 feet 2 inches, with proficient shooting skills from his time in the Civil War and his knowledge of the terrain and language, Bass became the first Black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi. His weapons of choice were the Winchester Models 1873 and 1892.
As deputy marshal, Bass Reeves is said to have arrested more than 3,000 people and killed 14 outlaws, all without sustaining a single gun wound. Biographer Art T. Burton asserted that Bass had inspired the Lone Ranger in his 2006 book, Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves.
Many of the fugitives Bass Reeves arrested were sent to the Detroit House of Corrections, in the same city where the fictional white Lone Ranger character would be introduced to the world on the radio station WXYZ on January 30, 1933.
Bass Reeves served as a deputy U.S. Marshal for over 30 years, and he was known for his exceptional tracking skills, fearlessness, and commitment to upholding the law. His reputation as a tough and fair enforcer of the law earned him the respect of both his fellow officers and the outlaws he pursued.
Bass Reeves was known for his disguise and cunning tactics, often going undercover to infiltrate criminal organizations and apprehend wanted fugitives. He was also a skilled marksman and expert horseman.
When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Reeves, then 68, became an officer of the Muskogee Police Department. He served for two years before he became ill and retired.
Bass Reeves' health began to fail further after retiring. He died of Bright's disease (nephritis) on January 12, 1910.
Today In Black History
- In 1883, Black inventor H.H. Reynolds received a patent for window ventilators for railroad cars.
- In 1888, Black inventor A.B. Blackburn received a patent for the spring seat for chairs.
- In 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Blacks could not be barred from voting in the Texas Democratic primaries.
- In 1968, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee. He was assassinated the next day.
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