Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and a great frontier hero. Morgan freeman brings bass reeves miniseries to hbo. Bass reeves july 1838 january 12, 1910 was an american law enforcement officer. Bass reeves black hero marshal page 2 legends of america. Owned by a man named william reeves, a farmer and politician, bass took the surname of his owner, like other slaves of the time. S marshal when he satrted his line of duty may 29, 1875. Morgan freemans bass reeves project finally gets a lift, thanks to hbo. The legend of the former texas marshal figures prominently in damon. Marshal, bass reeves arrested 3,000 felons, killed 14 men, and was never shot himself. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves race and ethnicity. So if your looking for a cool western to kick back and watch i believe that bass reeves is a great choice. Dave kennedy, curator of collections and exhibits, said recently the museum is still in search of bass. Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nations history owned by a man named william reeves, a farmer and politician.
Morgan freemans bass reeves project finally gets a lift. The hbo series watchmen has familiarized audiences with the reallife deputy us marshal bass reeves, an africanamerican lawman in the old west. Reeves health failed in january 1910, and he died of brights disease in that year. Bass reeves 1st african american us marshal black history first. Reports regarding reevess activities and whereabouts. Download our free app for apple and android and kindle devices. Bass reeves is on his most dangerous mission yet, facing one of the most notorious outlaws in the indian territory. The legend of bass reeves by author gary paulsen is a western written for young readers. His rendition of the great bass reeves son, bennie was riveting. It is one of the oldest american federal law enforcement agencies and was created by the judiciary act of 1789 during the presidency of george washington as the office of the united states marshal. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Honoring deputy us marshal bass reeves catalyst partners. Wouldnt a film about reeves make one helluva movie. This project takes us to the classic old west to play out the life of frontier marshal bass reeves. Winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central. Hollywood is joining fort smith in honoring one of the men who hunted outlaws in the wild west. Bass reeves escaped numerous assassination attempts on his life, he was the most feared deputy u. The life and legend of frontier marshall bass reeves. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen, paperback. Tales of the talented tenth tells the story of bass reeves, an escaped slave who. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves. Marshal museum, and the bass reeves legacy initiative, wellington ltd is proud to honor this true american western hero by introducing the deputy u. Marshal in the indian and oklahoma territories during those wild and wooly days before statehood came in 1907. During his long career, he was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons.
The legend of bass reeves ebook written by gary paulsen. Us marshals museum searches for bass reeves relatives. Black gun, silver star tells bass reevess story for the first time, sifting through fact and legend to discover the truth about one of the most outstanding peace officers in latenineteenthcentury americaand perhaps the greatest lawman of the wild west era. Bass reeves frontier marshal volume 1 phillips, gary, odom, mel, salmon, andrew, ferguson, derrick on. Watch the trailer to hell on the border, about bass reeves, the. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen scholastic.
By 1875, reeves and his family were living back in western arkansas, and it was there that he was approached to apply for a position as a deputy u. Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nations history. But of all the sheriffs of the frontier, one man stands. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves race and ethnicity in the american west kindle edition by burton, art t download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Like something out of a western movie, they asked reeve if he had any last. The scene, rendered in the style of an old silent movie, offers a. Many heroic lawmen of the wild west, familiar to us through television and film, were actually violent scoundrels and outlaws themselves. Born a slave in arkansas, reeves grew up in grayson county, texas, following the relocation of his owner, william s.
From the research i did on bass reeves, this film seems to be very historically accurate. The badge that omar reed wears when portraying legendary deputy u. I found that the comedic spots in the film added to the liveliness of the story. Reeves is reported to have apprehended more then 3,000 outlaws during his 35 years serving as a deputy united states marshal. Actor morgan freeman is one of the producers that will adapt the art t. As a young man bass reeves escaped north into the indian territory, and he became acquainted with the cherokee, creek, and. Yet another miniseries adapted from a biography is in the planning stages at hbo. In honor of this heroic legacy, and in cooperation with noted author and historian art burton, the u.
Bass reeves worked a total of thirtytwo years as a deputy u. Well, it looks like morgan freeman thought the same thing because hes teamed up with hbo for a miniseries based on. Marshals and their deputies have served as the instruments of civil authority by all three branches of the u. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading black gun, silver star. His reputation for persistence, his total fearlessness, his skills. It focuses on the true story of a littleknown marshal who patrolled the old indian territory, now known as oklahoma. One plotline depicts reevess youth as a slave, including his service as a body servant to a confederate cavalry officer during the civil war. He faced some of the most murderous outlaws known to. Born to slave parents in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas, bass reeves would become the first black u. This literaryhistorical novel details the life of africanamerican deputy us marshal bass reeves between the years 18381862 and 18831884. Marshal bass reeves ever pulled on a criminal a particularly glorious example of fake it til you make it. Reeves according to research is the only deputy on record who started working for parkers court in 1875 and worked up to statehood in 1907. Bass reeves worked to bring about law and order to a terrible area, but when a democratic government was set up, it was worse than before for bass, brady said. Another plotline depicts him years later, after emancipation, at the height of his deputy career, when he has.
Marshal bass reeves, a true legend of the american west. Jr, bass arrested more than 3, 000 outlaws in his career as deputy marshal. Bass reeves first african american us deputy marshal. Reeves, born into slavery, served for 32 years under federal judge isaac c. Bass reeves, the first africanamerican deputy arrests an outlaw and brings him toward encampment. The united states marshals service usms is a federal law enforcement agency within the u. He worked mostly in arkansas and the oklahoma territory. The tales of the talented tenth series will feature stories about black history in. By 1898 johnson transferred to the northern district, which was headquartered at muskogee. House, santiago villalobos, craig rainey, wesley blake. Bass reeves tales of the talented tenth, volume i celebrating bass reeves throughout the river valley this memorial day weekend, there will be several events honoring the first black deputymarshal west. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen overdrive.
Marshals museum in fort smith has an impressive collection of guns and documents related to famed deputy u. Marshal bass reeves, became legend in the indian territory. Marshal bass reeves, born as a slave in arkansas, grew up in lamar and grayson counties, texas, where he belonged to col. See more ideas about african, black history and black cowboys.
A battle of wills arises between them as the outlaw tries to escape. Born into slavery, bass reeves became the most successful us marshal of the wild west. Bass reeves blazed a trail as the first black deputy u. Maybe the law aint perfect, but its the only one we got, and without it we got nuthin bass reeves. He fought and struck his master with a garden hoe and killed him in one strike may 24, 1875. Johnson, grant the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and. He was the most successful federal marshal in the us in his day. Im surprised that tarantino didnttell his true story, instead. A 25foot work of art honors the illustrious lawman, believed to be the first black u.
Reeves, later to become the speaker of the house in the texas legislature. Bass reeves, american lawman who was one of the first deputy u. The real lone ranger was black, and now there is a movie about him. Bass reeves finally gets his hollywood moment in hbos. The crowd gathered on the lawn adjacent to the old federal courthouse in fort smith, arkansas, where judge isaac c. Nov 7, 2018 bass reeves july 1838 12 january 1910 was one of the first african americans possibly the first to receive a commission as a deputy u. But of all the sheriffs of the frontier, one man stands out as a. A drama based on the life of bass reeves, the first africanamerican united states deputy marshal. When those old gunfighters are sittin around valhalla discussin,who was the greatest of em all, the name bass reeves is sure to be mentioned. This western action movie is adapted from the bestselling novel trilogy. Bass reeves james a house was one of the first black federal deputy. Born to slave parents,bass reeves would become the first black u.
Amazon studios lands biopic on bass reeves, first black u. But of all the sheriffs of the frontier, one man stands out as a true hero. Reeves, bass the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen books on. It was a beautiful, but warm, saturday morning, likely akin to ones in the late.
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