Leonce Gaiter's Blog - Posts Tagged "old-west"
The Unforgettable, Forgotten Story of Rufus Buck
Black marshalls, Indian lawmen, half-black outlaws, black towns, half-white Indian chiefs... The former Indian Territories (today's Oklahoma), were shockingly multi-racial, and held all of the racial prejudices, contradictions, and conundrums that we see in our own 21st century multi-racial society.
Truly representative was Rufus Buck. Half black, half Creek Indian, he formed a multi-racial gang of near-teenaged outlaws in 1895 with the aim of ridding the Indian Territories of its every growing population of whites.
Infamous "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker presided over two of Buck's trials. Buck shared the Ft. Smith jail with famous half-black, half-Cherokee outlaw Cherokee Bill. The first man Buck killed was a black lawman. The Creek Indian Lighthorse helped track him down. All of this at a time when Indian Territory held more white men than Indians.
Buck has disappeared from American history, as has much of the reality of the Indian Territories. Americans don't like to recall our reneging on our promises. But his story is fascinating and telling of the world we've allowed to fade from view because we find it too painful to look at.
I first heard about Rufus Buck and his gang about 20 years ago, and I have remained fascinated ever since. Thus, the novel, "I Dreamt I Was in Heaven - The Rampage of the Rufus Buck Gang."
I hope you enjoy.
Truly representative was Rufus Buck. Half black, half Creek Indian, he formed a multi-racial gang of near-teenaged outlaws in 1895 with the aim of ridding the Indian Territories of its every growing population of whites.
Infamous "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker presided over two of Buck's trials. Buck shared the Ft. Smith jail with famous half-black, half-Cherokee outlaw Cherokee Bill. The first man Buck killed was a black lawman. The Creek Indian Lighthorse helped track him down. All of this at a time when Indian Territory held more white men than Indians.
Buck has disappeared from American history, as has much of the reality of the Indian Territories. Americans don't like to recall our reneging on our promises. But his story is fascinating and telling of the world we've allowed to fade from view because we find it too painful to look at.
I first heard about Rufus Buck and his gang about 20 years ago, and I have remained fascinated ever since. Thus, the novel, "I Dreamt I Was in Heaven - The Rampage of the Rufus Buck Gang."
I hope you enjoy.
