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Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves
In The Story of Oklahoma , Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves appears as one of “eight notable Oklahomans,” the “most feared U.S. marshal in the Indian country.” That Reeves was also an African American who had spent his early life as a slave in Arkansas and Texas made his accomplishments all the more remarkable. Black Gun, Silver Star tells Bass Reeves's story for the first time, sifting through fact and legend to discover the truth about one of the most outstanding peace officers in late-nineteenth-century America—and perhaps the greatest lawman of the Wild West era. Bucking the odds (“I’m sorry, we didn’t keep black people’s history,” a clerk at one of Oklahoma’s local historical societies answered to a query), Art T. Burton traces Reeves from his days of slavery to his soldiering in the Civil War battles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater to his career as a deputy U.S. marshal out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, beginning in 1875 when he worked under “Hanging Judge” Isaac C. Parker. Fluent in Creek and other southern Native languages, physically powerful, skilled with firearms, and a master of disguise, Reeves was exceptionally adept at apprehending fugitives and outlaws and his exploits were legendary in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Black Gun, Silver Star restores this remarkable figure to his rightful place in the history of the American West.
348 pages, Hardcover
First published January 3, 2006
241 people are currently reading
1274 people want to read
About the author
Art T. Burton
5 books25 followersArt T. Burton has a distinguished career in education and the arts. He received bachelor and masters degrees in cultural and ethnic studies at Governors State University (GSU), where he served as student assistant dean. Additionally, he was selected as a recipient of “Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities,” and traveled to Brazil with GSU’s award-winning Jazz Band as their percussionist.
Burton was Recruitment and Admissions Counselor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and Coordinator of Minority Affairs and Admissions Counselor at Illinois Benedictine College. He taught ethnic and cultural studies at Prairie State College, South Suburban College, and Governors State University. Burton spent ten years at Loyola University as Assistant Dean of Students and Director of African American Student Affairs. Burton was the Director of Student Development/Minority Affairs at Columbia College in Chicago for seven years. He is currently a professor of History at South Suburban College in South Holland, IL. He is a recipient of the “Living Black History “ Award. In 1983 and 1990 he was selected as an “Outstanding Young Man of America” in recognition of professional achievement, superior leadership ability, and service to the community. As author of Black, Red and Deadly, he has been interviewed by radio and television hosts and was featured in the November 1994 issue of Emerge magazine. His book is being considered for a feature film on African- Americans in the West. Initiated by Burton, the major character in the book, Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall, was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.
A member of the Chicago based Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (A.A.C.M.) since 1973, Burton has shared musical experiences with Dizzy Gillespie, Muhal Richard Abrams, Chico Freeman, AminaClaudine Myers, Lester Bowie, Henry Threadgill, and Elvin Jones. In 1996, Art played percussion on saxophonist Vandy Harris’ recording PURE FIRE. In 1998, he played percussion on a critically received recording by noted Chicago saxophonist Ari Brown titled VENUS for the Delmark label. Art was elected Chairman of the Association for the A.A.C.M. for the year of 2011. He has played the bongo and conga drums professionally for over 30 years.
Burton was Recruitment and Admissions Counselor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and Coordinator of Minority Affairs and Admissions Counselor at Illinois Benedictine College. He taught ethnic and cultural studies at Prairie State College, South Suburban College, and Governors State University. Burton spent ten years at Loyola University as Assistant Dean of Students and Director of African American Student Affairs. Burton was the Director of Student Development/Minority Affairs at Columbia College in Chicago for seven years. He is currently a professor of History at South Suburban College in South Holland, IL. He is a recipient of the “Living Black History “ Award. In 1983 and 1990 he was selected as an “Outstanding Young Man of America” in recognition of professional achievement, superior leadership ability, and service to the community. As author of Black, Red and Deadly, he has been interviewed by radio and television hosts and was featured in the November 1994 issue of Emerge magazine. His book is being considered for a feature film on African- Americans in the West. Initiated by Burton, the major character in the book, Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall, was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.
A member of the Chicago based Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (A.A.C.M.) since 1973, Burton has shared musical experiences with Dizzy Gillespie, Muhal Richard Abrams, Chico Freeman, AminaClaudine Myers, Lester Bowie, Henry Threadgill, and Elvin Jones. In 1996, Art played percussion on saxophonist Vandy Harris’ recording PURE FIRE. In 1998, he played percussion on a critically received recording by noted Chicago saxophonist Ari Brown titled VENUS for the Delmark label. Art was elected Chairman of the Association for the A.A.C.M. for the year of 2011. He has played the bongo and conga drums professionally for over 30 years.
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November 30, 2023
I picked this up at the Twig Book Store and was intrigued so much I had to read it.
"Black Gun, Silver Star" was a contender for the Spur Award. Based on an American Lawman that was the first black Deputy US Marshall. He worked in Oklahoma and Indian Territories which was considered the deadliest location for any US Marshal.
Bass Reeves was born into slavery. He could not read or write as his slave owner stated that would make Bass to powerful. Bass later went with his enslaver George Reeves into the Civil War. He ended up fleeing to the Indian Territory where he lived with the Creek Indians. He gained his true freedman status with the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865.
Bass worked for a Federal Judge Isaac Parker for almost 3 decades and was Judge Parker's most valuable US Deputy Marshal. While serving Bass brought in some of the most dangerous criminals. "A Good Batch of Prisoners" 9, 13, 16 at a time. One outlaw brought to justice was Billy the Kid who he crossed paths with...well not the infamous Billy the Kid from Mexico, he was dead by than. He also had a shootout similiar to the OK Corral and he survived all these years without serious injury like Earp.
He credited himself with arresting more than 3000 felons and killing only 14 people in self-defense which led to him being tried twice for murder.
Bass was well known and highly regarded during his lifetime. A giant of a man, quick on the trigger and his memory...that is how he dealt with the warrants. He was a man of bravery and devotion to duty.
Bass Reeves died the oldest serving Deputy Marshal under Judge Parker known for his hangings on a weekly basis. Bass died of consumption. He lived to be 71 years old and a father of 11 children with his first wife Nellie.
Author Art T Burton, a history professor, worked for 20 years delving into the Federal Criminal Court cases he located in the National Archives and accounts from Fort Smith which gave him the history of Bass. Burton's account is not a biography so say but more like a story based upon his research. He tells the story in great detail with the background of facts. He sifts through the legend to discover the truth about this outstanding man and peace officer.
Another source stated that Bass died of Bright's Disease.
He was a great-uncle of Paul L. Brady, who became the first black man appointed as a federal administrative law judge in 1972.
His great-great-grandson is former National Football League and Canadian Football League player Willard Reaves, while his great-great-great-grandsons are National Hockey League player Ryan Reaves and CFL player Jordan Reaves. Ryan Reaves's grandfather changed the family name from Reeves to Reaves.
"Black Gun, Silver Star" was a contender for the Spur Award. Based on an American Lawman that was the first black Deputy US Marshall. He worked in Oklahoma and Indian Territories which was considered the deadliest location for any US Marshal.
Bass Reeves was born into slavery. He could not read or write as his slave owner stated that would make Bass to powerful. Bass later went with his enslaver George Reeves into the Civil War. He ended up fleeing to the Indian Territory where he lived with the Creek Indians. He gained his true freedman status with the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865.
Bass worked for a Federal Judge Isaac Parker for almost 3 decades and was Judge Parker's most valuable US Deputy Marshal. While serving Bass brought in some of the most dangerous criminals. "A Good Batch of Prisoners" 9, 13, 16 at a time. One outlaw brought to justice was Billy the Kid who he crossed paths with...well not the infamous Billy the Kid from Mexico, he was dead by than. He also had a shootout similiar to the OK Corral and he survived all these years without serious injury like Earp.
He credited himself with arresting more than 3000 felons and killing only 14 people in self-defense which led to him being tried twice for murder.
Bass was well known and highly regarded during his lifetime. A giant of a man, quick on the trigger and his memory...that is how he dealt with the warrants. He was a man of bravery and devotion to duty.
Bass Reeves died the oldest serving Deputy Marshal under Judge Parker known for his hangings on a weekly basis. Bass died of consumption. He lived to be 71 years old and a father of 11 children with his first wife Nellie.
Author Art T Burton, a history professor, worked for 20 years delving into the Federal Criminal Court cases he located in the National Archives and accounts from Fort Smith which gave him the history of Bass. Burton's account is not a biography so say but more like a story based upon his research. He tells the story in great detail with the background of facts. He sifts through the legend to discover the truth about this outstanding man and peace officer.
Another source stated that Bass died of Bright's Disease.
He was a great-uncle of Paul L. Brady, who became the first black man appointed as a federal administrative law judge in 1972.
His great-great-grandson is former National Football League and Canadian Football League player Willard Reaves, while his great-great-great-grandsons are National Hockey League player Ryan Reaves and CFL player Jordan Reaves. Ryan Reaves's grandfather changed the family name from Reeves to Reaves.
abandoned
February 3, 2012Wow, there is no way that I'm going to be able to get though this one! I became interested in Bass Reeves after reading a children's book called Bad News for Outlaws : the Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal. I have to say that compared to this book, that children's book was so much more interesting!
I realize that Art Burton was fighting an uphill battle with this book. He says that little remains documenting Bass Reeves' life, and I understand that would make it difficult to write a biography about someone. But Black Gun, Silver Star, while starting out promisingly, just wound up documenting the people Reeves arrested, and, where possible, included witness testimony from their trials. This got really boring, really fast!
To be fair, at first it was kind of intriguing to read about horse theft, whiskey peddling, and the occasional murder. But the novelty wore off very quickly, and I found the book starved of depth and discussion about Bass Reeves. I know the author couldn't conjure a biography from a lack of contemporary documentation, but anaysis from historians, law enforcement experts, African American studies scholars, etc. placing Bass Reeves in context would have been great. I wanted to know what Reeves overcame, and what his legacy was. Mostly, I wanted to know why I should care about this person. What I *didn't* want was a noncontextualized and indiscriminate recounting of the trials of the people Reeves arrested. I hope that there's another biography out there that will enable me to learn more about this intriguing man.
I realize that Art Burton was fighting an uphill battle with this book. He says that little remains documenting Bass Reeves' life, and I understand that would make it difficult to write a biography about someone. But Black Gun, Silver Star, while starting out promisingly, just wound up documenting the people Reeves arrested, and, where possible, included witness testimony from their trials. This got really boring, really fast!
To be fair, at first it was kind of intriguing to read about horse theft, whiskey peddling, and the occasional murder. But the novelty wore off very quickly, and I found the book starved of depth and discussion about Bass Reeves. I know the author couldn't conjure a biography from a lack of contemporary documentation, but anaysis from historians, law enforcement experts, African American studies scholars, etc. placing Bass Reeves in context would have been great. I wanted to know what Reeves overcame, and what his legacy was. Mostly, I wanted to know why I should care about this person. What I *didn't* want was a noncontextualized and indiscriminate recounting of the trials of the people Reeves arrested. I hope that there's another biography out there that will enable me to learn more about this intriguing man.
June 20, 2019
"Courageous and knowing no other call but his duty", so ran the obituary of Marshal Bass Reeves.
"Black Gun, Silver Star" tells the story of this honest and courageous Black frontier lawman who went out of his way to bring in his man alive. He deferred to no man, no matter his status, wealth, religion or ethnicity. It was said that his life story was such an adventure, that it could not have been imagined by any fiction writer.
This book also shows how settlement and statehood in Oklahoma affected the lives of Native and African Americans. Another nice piece is that it touches on other legendary African-American policeman.
Some parts of the book are repetitive and do focus on court transcripts, but overall this is an excellent biography of a larger than life character.
"Black Gun, Silver Star" tells the story of this honest and courageous Black frontier lawman who went out of his way to bring in his man alive. He deferred to no man, no matter his status, wealth, religion or ethnicity. It was said that his life story was such an adventure, that it could not have been imagined by any fiction writer.
This book also shows how settlement and statehood in Oklahoma affected the lives of Native and African Americans. Another nice piece is that it touches on other legendary African-American policeman.
Some parts of the book are repetitive and do focus on court transcripts, but overall this is an excellent biography of a larger than life character.
June 7, 2014
There was good and interesting information in this book, but it varied in terms of how enjoyable it was to read, often being somewhat dry.
The difficulty was in the material available. Burton researched meticulously, which was good, and you know where the stories are coming from. However, there is often no conclusion available, because there may have been a record of an arrest, or a trial deposition, but no information on the resolution of the case, or the motives for a crime. This was often frustrating.
Conversely, sometimes there would be multiple accounts of an incident, with notable differences, and all versions would be available, which could be a drag on the reading.
In this way it reminded me of some early cliometric works, as well as some old collections of original materials used in other history classes. Collecting the original information is important, but it is not always a captivating read, whereas a short article based on the book that led me to the book was fascinating.
For all that, I suspect Burton struck the right balance, because just telling the interesting and compelling story, without the extra detail, would have been open to different criticism. Reeves himself is a great character, and there is a lot of detail about law in the territorial West that was new to me.
The difficulty was in the material available. Burton researched meticulously, which was good, and you know where the stories are coming from. However, there is often no conclusion available, because there may have been a record of an arrest, or a trial deposition, but no information on the resolution of the case, or the motives for a crime. This was often frustrating.
Conversely, sometimes there would be multiple accounts of an incident, with notable differences, and all versions would be available, which could be a drag on the reading.
In this way it reminded me of some early cliometric works, as well as some old collections of original materials used in other history classes. Collecting the original information is important, but it is not always a captivating read, whereas a short article based on the book that led me to the book was fascinating.
For all that, I suspect Burton struck the right balance, because just telling the interesting and compelling story, without the extra detail, would have been open to different criticism. Reeves himself is a great character, and there is a lot of detail about law in the territorial West that was new to me.
February 27, 2013
While the book sometimes got bogged down with digressions or minutia, the story of Bass Reeves still proves to be compelling and historically important. He shouldn't be ignored
September 7, 2013
A fascinating and frustrating read about a man who was larger than life but is now sadly ignored. Bass Reeves is probably the most famous lawman you've never heard about. He worked many years for the "Hanging Judge", Judge Parker out of Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was possibly the inspiration for the Lone Ranger. He was black and he was illiterate as well and he never served a writ on the wrong person either. This was a hard book to write as there weren't many sources and the author had to painstakingly thread newspaper clippings of both black and white newspapers together along with oral history tapes. At times it is like reading the local newspaper's police blotter section. Often an interesting thread is cited but there is no info provided on the disposition of the people and that was as frustrating for the reader as it was for the researcher and author. It's too bad they didn't have social media back in the 1880's because Bass Reeves would have been the guy trending then. He was absolutely a paragon of law and order and was respected by whites as an honest man. Stories about him in the Indian Territory are the stuff of legend and are almost biblical in their telling of his quest for law breakers and his sagacity and judgment. He even arrested his own son for murder as none of the other deputies felt comfortable going after Reeves's son. This was a very informative book on the diversity and prejudice that existed in Oklahoma before and after statehood. The story "True Grit" was set in the Indian Territory and it comes closest to my conception of the challenges Bass Reeves faced. If Bass was after you it was a near certainty that he would find you and bring you in either alive or dead. Now if they had made the movie the Lone Ranger with Bass Reeves as the model that would have really shook things up and if they just told the story of his life it would have been a hit. Bass Reeves died from Bright's Disease at the age of 72 or so but the author never tells us what that is. It's a term no longer used for some sort of kidney ailment.
September 13, 2017
This book reads like a Bass Reeves case file. It's unfortunate that information on this legendary character is limited. There are many cases where Bass made a simple arrest, without incident, that are highlighted in excruciating detail.
Good information about his story and the highlights of his life are in here, but they are mostly scattered in the rambling, banal minutiae of the list of every single case the author could find Bass tied to. A large part of this book reads more like an exhaustive reference than a good story.
This was probably the authors intention, at least in part, since information on Bass is disparate and so hard to come by.
Bottom line: great story, but way, way too much detail.
Good information about his story and the highlights of his life are in here, but they are mostly scattered in the rambling, banal minutiae of the list of every single case the author could find Bass tied to. A large part of this book reads more like an exhaustive reference than a good story.
This was probably the authors intention, at least in part, since information on Bass is disparate and so hard to come by.
Bottom line: great story, but way, way too much detail.
January 14, 2021
DNF
There's nothing wrong with this book. It's as well researched as you'd expect all things considered. It's just dry and slow moving and I need something with a little more pizazz lol.
There's nothing wrong with this book. It's as well researched as you'd expect all things considered. It's just dry and slow moving and I need something with a little more pizazz lol.
February 28, 2018
This was interesting but dry.
Bass was born into slavery and supported his owner and the Confederacy during the Civil War. He was illiterate but his owner apparently taught him to shoot but not read. At some point he likely defected from the Confederacy and hid out amongst the Native Nations. There he learned to track and speak various languages. Or so the story goes.
He joins the US Marshals later and is truly one the most successful and decorated officers.
The story is chock full of cases and details of cases and while interesting did get tedious.
The author also says that Buffalo Soldiers were primarily Black men who had formerly been enslaved by Native Americans and spoke the language. I know very little about Bufdalo Soldiers and found that interesting.
Bass was born into slavery and supported his owner and the Confederacy during the Civil War. He was illiterate but his owner apparently taught him to shoot but not read. At some point he likely defected from the Confederacy and hid out amongst the Native Nations. There he learned to track and speak various languages. Or so the story goes.
He joins the US Marshals later and is truly one the most successful and decorated officers.
The story is chock full of cases and details of cases and while interesting did get tedious.
The author also says that Buffalo Soldiers were primarily Black men who had formerly been enslaved by Native Americans and spoke the language. I know very little about Bufdalo Soldiers and found that interesting.
September 27, 2020
Black Gun, Silver Star is really a 3 star read... but rounded up to 4 of the fact that Burton has done what should have already been accomplished. I wish there had been documentation for Burton to research on Bass Reeves, starting with slavery to soldiering in the Civil War and then his career as a deputy U.S. marshal. I wonder if Reeves had been able to read and write if there would have been more left behind?
At any rate, Burton did a pretty good job based on what he had to go on.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
At any rate, Burton did a pretty good job based on what he had to go on.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
September 12, 2014
Art T. Burton has made a heroic effort to chronicle the life of Bass Reeves. Stitched together from court records and newspaper articles this book lacked the narrative flow to really grab my attention.
October 23, 2009
Bass Reeves was an unknown legend among the Parker deputy U.S. Marshals, quietly doing his job and bringing law to the Indian Territory. This book is the best we can get on the illiterate former slave's lengthy career in law-enforcement, and yet you're left wanting more detail about how Reeves survived all those years to die of old age.
July 4, 2015
4 stars for subject matter; 3 stars for writing. Bass Reeves is a true American hero. He was one of the most successful and honorable lawmen in the Old West. It is an absolute shame that his story has not been highlighted in American history. Obviously, he has been ignored because he was black and did not fit the criteria of white historians and society. I truly hope Hollywood picks up the story of his life and brings it to millions worldwide. A word about the writing: I understand that the author had limited sources; however, I feel he could have structured the material in a more "reader-friendly" manner. At times the story became little more than a rendering of arrest warrant after arrest warrant. That being said, this book is invaluable in resurrecting a very important and interesting character from the forgotten pages of history.
December 31, 2013
African-American 'wild west' history has suffered greatly from poor documentation, and it is obvious how hard the author had to work to piece together this history from little source material - as a consequence it's a little patchy and sometimes nothing more than a list of 'today Bass Reeves arrested this list of folk'. You don't have to read too deeply between the lines, however, to see how much the west owes this man (and the many like him) or how badly he (and those like him) were let down by historians and indeed by the US gov itself as time and again their standing in society and history was ignored and curtailed. Nevertheless his/their strength, determination and character blasts through this sparse record. A powerful and invaluable read for those willing to put a bit of effort into understanding what it restores to history.
February 23, 2012
As a huge fan of the Lone Ranger TV series (I watched the reruns as a boy), imagine my surprise to discover that the character was based on the life of Bass Reeves; a runaway slave who worked for the hanging judge. This book was written more as a historical fiction than a biography and I really enjoyed the stories.
July 4, 2013
Being that it was written from his own words from his letters, it was hard to read because of his limited writing ability, but I found it interesting what life was like in Oklahoma at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth. This one, I'll have to go over again, but it's not a bad read.
July 13, 2021
Written like a (poor) documentary
I am fascinated by the character and want to devour all known stories of the same. Unfortunately this book is hard to digest, written like a book report, based on a compendium of news clippings and will keep the reader wanting. If only someone could turn these facts into prose, millions of Americans would find their first super-hero.
I am fascinated by the character and want to devour all known stories of the same. Unfortunately this book is hard to digest, written like a book report, based on a compendium of news clippings and will keep the reader wanting. If only someone could turn these facts into prose, millions of Americans would find their first super-hero.
July 20, 2024
Bass Reeves, the first Black US Marshall, known for his prowess with a firearm, allegedly killing twenty men in his career while making between 3,000-4,000 arrests. Bass was the man.
This book is worth the read.
This book is worth the read.
May 4, 2018
Some highly entertaining and fascinating stories in here, although at times the trial details were a bit dry. We sure could use a movie or two about him.
June 23, 2022
One of the most well known African American lawmen in the west, Bass Reeves has long been rumored to be the inspiration for the Lone Ranger and has currently started to gain interest in from popular culture with the announcement that the tv show Yellowstone is producing a spin off show of their spin off show about Bass Reeves. This book has never been more timely with the growing interest in Reeves.
Reeves himself was a former slave and lived to become the first black US Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi. Arresting more than 3000 criminals and never bringing the wrong one in, He even arrested his own son when he broke the law, proving his integrity. Reeves was a man to be reckoned with and the appeal to learn more about him is understandable. That is unfortunately where the biggest problem with this book comes in. Author Art Burton has done an admirable job piecing together what he can about Reeves' life. You'd think with a career so noted and a track record so impeccable that there would be many fascinating stories about Reeves. Sadly you would be wrong since there are incredibly limited sources about the man and that is the problem the author seemed to run up against. Because of that almost every story he could find about Reeves was added to the text whether it was interesting or fit into the flow of the book or not. This made the text start to read rather like a laundry list than an exciting adventure. When it comes to actual research about the man, this would be an excellent reference source, which is why I rated it so high. When it comes to being a casual read this book unfortunately suffers from dryness related to a lack of source material to give the narrative a decent flow. Records about Reeves's exploits should have been as well chronicled as Wyatt Earp and a bevy of other western lawmen. Unfortunately because of his ethnicity the fascinating history of Bass Reeves has been lost to time, heartbreaking based off of the thinking that this man's life had to have been epic, just not chronicled.
Reeves himself was a former slave and lived to become the first black US Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi. Arresting more than 3000 criminals and never bringing the wrong one in, He even arrested his own son when he broke the law, proving his integrity. Reeves was a man to be reckoned with and the appeal to learn more about him is understandable. That is unfortunately where the biggest problem with this book comes in. Author Art Burton has done an admirable job piecing together what he can about Reeves' life. You'd think with a career so noted and a track record so impeccable that there would be many fascinating stories about Reeves. Sadly you would be wrong since there are incredibly limited sources about the man and that is the problem the author seemed to run up against. Because of that almost every story he could find about Reeves was added to the text whether it was interesting or fit into the flow of the book or not. This made the text start to read rather like a laundry list than an exciting adventure. When it comes to actual research about the man, this would be an excellent reference source, which is why I rated it so high. When it comes to being a casual read this book unfortunately suffers from dryness related to a lack of source material to give the narrative a decent flow. Records about Reeves's exploits should have been as well chronicled as Wyatt Earp and a bevy of other western lawmen. Unfortunately because of his ethnicity the fascinating history of Bass Reeves has been lost to time, heartbreaking based off of the thinking that this man's life had to have been epic, just not chronicled.
Read
January 8, 2025Bass Reeves was a fascinating figure and there’s plenty of great detail here… almost too much detail, or at least detail that could stand considerable editing and organizing into a more coherent narrative, instead of repetitive recollections shared verbatim with little context or commentary. Burton’s exhaustive research is worth reading here to learn more about Reeves, but I wouldn’t expect anything too literary.
One of the most metal things that Bass ever did was state that one of the 14 men he fatally shot eventually died not from the bullet but from diarrhea (p. 132).
One of the most metal things that Bass ever did was state that one of the 14 men he fatally shot eventually died not from the bullet but from diarrhea (p. 132).
November 24, 2023
Deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves was an awesome police officer, and his story is yet to be told. Mr. Burton has collected many newspaper clippings about Reeves and a few interviews with people who knew or saw Reeves, but he has only produced a coverlet that if full of holes and unraveled seams. The true narrative if Reeves’ career remains to be told.
February 7, 2024
I am happy to learn about Bass Reeves, I just felt like the author didn't have enough information and so had to fill the pages with official transcripts and telegraphs, which is cool but it got boring and I had to really focus on one bit of interesting information in a full page of : the witness said "I did not see who stole the horse" and the lawyer said : "did you own a horse?" and the witness said "no, i did not own a horse" (do not quote me, just an example). I did get bits of information scattered throughout the book. I guess I wanted more of where he was born, what his childhood was like etc. in order instead of he arrested this guy and oh he had 8 children. What I did appreciate was the explanation of how he would go undercover and dress like a bum, to the point of shooting a hole in a hat to make it look old and rip his clothing etc. to get the person or persons to feel comfortable enough to invite him into the house and then he'd wait until they were asleep and slip the cuffs on them. He was very smart in that way, even though he didn't have any education and could not read or write. He had to have someone else send letters or write information down for records. I hope I can find a documentary to watch (not a movie). Again, I think the author did the best he could with the little information and discrepancies he could get his hands on.
April 18, 2024
This was a great history on a man I’d never heard of. I liked the book overall but could have done without the inclusion of entire court proceedings.
dnf
January 16, 2025This is a very academic book, perfect for someone interested in primary documents and rigorous study. Not good for someone that wants to learn about Reeves in an accessible, enjoyable way.
June 5, 2022
This was a tough one to rate. While I found the topic intriguing, particularly since I recall hearing periodically of Bass Reeves' possible connection to the Lone Ranger, a favorite show of my horse loving childhood, it wasn't an easy read. The author is obviously a researcher and scholar and, as such, he provides us with a wealth of documentation and information as any research project should do. Unfortunately, research papers, which I believe this is/was, don't necessarily make for good reading. I'd find myself fascinated at one point, then not many pages afterward, I'd feel my eyes glazing over. Don't get me wrong, this isn't to slam the book. It's simply that it's far more research paper than the average, mildly interested reader can digest with the wealth of often contradictory information and detail. Thus, for the average reader, this one might be a 3 star at best. For those of a more research oriented mind, it might easily rate a 4+ rating. I've opted to rate for the average reader, however, so take all this into consideration when deciding whether to read or not.
As for the content, as noted, there is an abundance or documentation and information, all fact based and checked. Personal memories were probed and the stories of the real Bass Reeves were fascinating. Were they all true? Who knows? Sadly, for the simple fact that he was a black man, records on his history and exploits were scarce. Author Burton has done an admirable job pulling it all together in this well researched volume.
Whether Reeves was the inspiration for the Lone Ranger or not, his story is one that deserves to be told. Born into slavery, he escaped and became one of the West's best lawmen ever. Those who knew him personally claimed he outshone the likes of the legendary Wyatt Earp. He was conscientious. He even arrested his own son at one point. An excellent horseman, he was also said to be a dog-lover, a real plus to me. Some say he rode a white horse, or maybe gray, which, of course, calls to mind the TV Lone Ranger's Silver. Reeves was known to distribute silver dollars, however, not silver bullets. Hmm, another tie. I understand there are ongoing talks about a movie featuring Reeves, so will be intrigued to see if that happens and how the research within this book is utilized. The story of a respected and authoritarian black man in a decidedly white world is definitely one that deserves to be heard.
Thanks to #NetGalley and the #UniversityOfNebraskaPress - #BisonBooks for giving me the chance to delve into a childhood legend in depth.
As for the content, as noted, there is an abundance or documentation and information, all fact based and checked. Personal memories were probed and the stories of the real Bass Reeves were fascinating. Were they all true? Who knows? Sadly, for the simple fact that he was a black man, records on his history and exploits were scarce. Author Burton has done an admirable job pulling it all together in this well researched volume.
Whether Reeves was the inspiration for the Lone Ranger or not, his story is one that deserves to be told. Born into slavery, he escaped and became one of the West's best lawmen ever. Those who knew him personally claimed he outshone the likes of the legendary Wyatt Earp. He was conscientious. He even arrested his own son at one point. An excellent horseman, he was also said to be a dog-lover, a real plus to me. Some say he rode a white horse, or maybe gray, which, of course, calls to mind the TV Lone Ranger's Silver. Reeves was known to distribute silver dollars, however, not silver bullets. Hmm, another tie. I understand there are ongoing talks about a movie featuring Reeves, so will be intrigued to see if that happens and how the research within this book is utilized. The story of a respected and authoritarian black man in a decidedly white world is definitely one that deserves to be heard.
Thanks to #NetGalley and the #UniversityOfNebraskaPress - #BisonBooks for giving me the chance to delve into a childhood legend in depth.
January 19, 2020
Really I’d give this 2.5 stars.
This book had many challenges and failed to live up to my expectations. Art T. Burton obviously did vast amounts of research in spite of a lack of sources because local historians often didn’t keep records of African American history. Burton pieces together the primary sources to give a chronicle of Bass Reeves’ life, but offers nothing more. The book needed another pass by the editor for clarity and because Burton doesn’t commit to a single spelling of names (in some instances using the different spellings in a single paragraph).
I haven’t been this disappointed in a book in a good, long while. It has the kind of writing that gives history writing its boring reputation. The best lawman of West deserved better and I hope another historian will soon take on the challenging primary sources to tell the story.
This is an older style of writing history that simply chronicles events without offering a thesis and
quotes far too much from oral histories, court records and newspapers without presenting any interpretation. There are pages upon pages of reprinted unedited court transcripts.
One story of arrest and shootout features 2 oral histories and 5 newspaper accounts verbatim, but the author doesn’t draw any conclusions or offer a single interpretation.
Burton often jumps between events with no transition other than the event being the next chronologically. For instance, Reeves serves a subpoena to a man March 11, 1885 concerning “a larceny case involving a man named Al Baker.” The next paragraph is an unrelated newspaper account from March 27th of Reeves going to Texas, getting the wrong man and bringing him to Van Buren. Then without further explanation of these events, the author jumps to April arrests for murder. (Pg 111)
The book also lacks historical context of what policies were being enacted against Native Americans or issues at large in the area at the time.
This book had many challenges and failed to live up to my expectations. Art T. Burton obviously did vast amounts of research in spite of a lack of sources because local historians often didn’t keep records of African American history. Burton pieces together the primary sources to give a chronicle of Bass Reeves’ life, but offers nothing more. The book needed another pass by the editor for clarity and because Burton doesn’t commit to a single spelling of names (in some instances using the different spellings in a single paragraph).
I haven’t been this disappointed in a book in a good, long while. It has the kind of writing that gives history writing its boring reputation. The best lawman of West deserved better and I hope another historian will soon take on the challenging primary sources to tell the story.
This is an older style of writing history that simply chronicles events without offering a thesis and
quotes far too much from oral histories, court records and newspapers without presenting any interpretation. There are pages upon pages of reprinted unedited court transcripts.
One story of arrest and shootout features 2 oral histories and 5 newspaper accounts verbatim, but the author doesn’t draw any conclusions or offer a single interpretation.
Burton often jumps between events with no transition other than the event being the next chronologically. For instance, Reeves serves a subpoena to a man March 11, 1885 concerning “a larceny case involving a man named Al Baker.” The next paragraph is an unrelated newspaper account from March 27th of Reeves going to Texas, getting the wrong man and bringing him to Van Buren. Then without further explanation of these events, the author jumps to April arrests for murder. (Pg 111)
The book also lacks historical context of what policies were being enacted against Native Americans or issues at large in the area at the time.
September 13, 2022
Bass Reeves was indeed a hero of the Old West. I served at Fort Sill, OK twice in my military career and LOVED reading about his exploits nearby. Like most Americans, I had no idea Bass Reeves existed until I read about him in True West magazine - thank you Bob Boze Bell! As a US Marshal he was second to none but add into the equation that he was Black at a time when that meant no to few opportunities for such men, his story becomes even more heroic. I love that Bass never let that be a source of anger and resentment. He treated all with respect due them and was an amazing negotiator and appraiser of people and their actions both good and bad. His devotion to duty was beyond reproach and no man not even his own son and pastor were beyond the law. His ability to disguise himself and fool criminals probably saved many lives and certainly his own. Why his name is not listed among the greats of the Old West is probably obvious but it's not too late to correct that. This book makes a laudable effort toward that end. I only regret the style of the book. I understand the need to include almost every article and notation about Bass Reeves but would have preferred a narrative account with footnotes. The repetitive notations made for a long and difficult read. Hopefully the author or another writer will tell the story of Bass Reeves in a way that may even be developed into a movie. I fear though Hollywood's wokeness will ruin it. Probably only someone like Denzel Washington or Clint Eastwood could tell the story without current politics. This is a story that must be told and celebrated. Thank you Mr. Burton for your wonderful book.
May 4, 2022
A book on Bass Reeves has been a long time coming, and Art T. Burton is just the person for the job. Burton is a history professor and long-time author about African Americans in the American Old West, and he blends facts and stories together with an expert, confident prose. As the author himself mentions in the introduction, Reeves- one of the greatest American lawmen of all time- has not received the attention he deserves, largely because care of records for African Americans in the Wild West and beyond have not been properly taken care of. Burton, however, lighted on the idea of scouring court archives for cases that Reeves was involved in. This results in what can sometimes be a difficult read- you may find yourself bogged down in a case file being recounted and wonder where this is going. But that's because this book is not only one that sheds light on Bass Reeves, but on the law system in the West itself.
By the end, if you're like me, you will inevitably come out wanting simply more about Reeves- there are still holes and gaps in his life, even when he was involved in something sensational, that may never be filled. But this book is worth the effort you'll put into reading it, and if you persist you will come out understanding more about the American West beyond the films as well as an extraordinary character such as Bass Reeves.
By the end, if you're like me, you will inevitably come out wanting simply more about Reeves- there are still holes and gaps in his life, even when he was involved in something sensational, that may never be filled. But this book is worth the effort you'll put into reading it, and if you persist you will come out understanding more about the American West beyond the films as well as an extraordinary character such as Bass Reeves.
August 31, 2021
I REALLY wanted to like this book, but it looks like the author just took his research notes and literally through those all together in a pile and called it a book. I was so disappointed because Bass Reeves sounds like one of the most fascinating personalities of the old west! But there’s just little tantalizing bits and pieces of his story, often without a lead in to the story or out of it. Most of what I read either came directly from a court record with no explanations of what it was referring to, and no clue as to how it was resolved. While I understand that history did it’s best to ignore and erase the man, I really hate to see the only person who was interested in resurrecting his story, did it so very poorly we’ll soon find Mr Reeves buried once again by the sands of time.
The only part of the book I found interesting was when someone’s great-grandma or grandpa would tell a story they’d heard from a friend of a friend’s 2nd cousin or so and that was about the only time the author got up close and personal about the man.
PLEASE, someone come along and tell this man’s story in a way that will inspire millions of people to look at what he accomplished!
The only part of the book I found interesting was when someone’s great-grandma or grandpa would tell a story they’d heard from a friend of a friend’s 2nd cousin or so and that was about the only time the author got up close and personal about the man.
PLEASE, someone come along and tell this man’s story in a way that will inspire millions of people to look at what he accomplished!
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