CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When you think of the word cowboy, you might think of John Wayne, but there were people who came before who are often overlooked. One Charlotte group is continuing to educate people about that history while serving the community.
Saddling up for a ride, Anthony McCall reflects.
"All animals are different," McCall said. "I definitely learned about myself. You see yourself in horses.”
He thinks about what he has learned and one piece of information sticks out above the rest.
“It’s common for people to have stolen other peoples' work," McCall said. "They’ll see us downtown and think, 'Wait, Black people ride horses?' Well, yeah, we were the original.”
Research shows Black men were among the first cowboys in the U.S. They roped, branded and saddled up for cattle drives. They gained fame and made their mark.
The Charlotte Cowboys, a Queen City-based nonprofit, is carrying on a legacy that many people don't even know about. Greg Lockhart, one of the group's instructors, said some history is often overlooked.
“I think it’s a hidden gem about the city a lot of people should learn," Lockhart said. "Us as Black folks, just in our culture, a lot of things were taken from us over time.”
So while even though they learn something new every day, they have to still teach.
"You’ve got to know where you come from," Lockhart said.
When they aren't taking a ride through the streets of Uptown, they are giving back. They hold therapy rides for kids and offer rides to those who want to learn how to train a horse. All in an effort to empower Black children.
"For them to have a safe space and be on these large animals," Lockhart said.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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