Black WestFebruary 19, 2023

The story of how the West was won has become a powerful myth. Most of its heroes are men. And most of them are white. Black West tells the flip side of the myth, taking us on a whirlwind of wild adventures in which African Americans play the starring roles. In 1875, one in four cowboys was Black. The West also had a good share of Black sheriffs, Black trappers and Black soldiers, as well as Black women. Many African Americans on the frontier forged alliances with Indians, while others became their slaves. All these daring men and women took the risk of seeking adventure in the West to gain their freedom. This film recounts the hardships African Americans faced on the heels of the Civil War, trying to live as free people in a country built on the backs of Black slaves.

Black West was broadcast on SBS ONE at Sunday 19 February 2023, 10:30.