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https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/the-resurrection-of-bass-reeves/
This article originally appeared in the July 2021 issue of Texas Monthly with the headline "The Resurrection of Bass Reeves."
Bass Reeves.
" This idea—that Reeves was the inspiration for one of the most popular western characters of all time—has gained widespread traction.If you google Bass Reeves and the Lone Ranger, you'll find books, podcasts, magazine stories, and thousands of social media posts declaring that Reeves was almost certainly the man behind the myth. "Bass Reeves: Baddest Marshal in the Old West, Original 'Lone Ranger,' " reads one headline from earlier this year. Others have run with a simpler declaration: "The Real Lone Ranger Was Black."
But some have questioned that claim. And as the legend of Reeves grows, those who care most about his legacy are wrestling with how best to remember him. If he wasn't the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, who was he? "
A bit longer read. If you are interested in the Cowboy period, worth it.
This article originally appeared in the July 2021 issue of Texas Monthly with the headline "The Resurrection of Bass Reeves."
Bass Reeves.
" This idea—that Reeves was the inspiration for one of the most popular western characters of all time—has gained widespread traction.If you google Bass Reeves and the Lone Ranger, you'll find books, podcasts, magazine stories, and thousands of social media posts declaring that Reeves was almost certainly the man behind the myth. "Bass Reeves: Baddest Marshal in the Old West, Original 'Lone Ranger,' " reads one headline from earlier this year. Others have run with a simpler declaration: "The Real Lone Ranger Was Black."
But some have questioned that claim. And as the legend of Reeves grows, those who care most about his legacy are wrestling with how best to remember him. If he wasn't the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, who was he? "
A bit longer read. If you are interested in the Cowboy period, worth it.
