It's estimated that 25 percent of cowboys in the Wild West were Black, but that hasn't always been properly represented in Hollywood. Western films are most closely associated with the likes of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, with very few Black actors thrown into the mix. Over the past few decades, more and more realistic stories have been making their way to the big screen, and it's been really wonderful to get a glimpse of what the period actually looked like. We all know Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid, but countless famous Black heroes and outlaws also deserve to have their stories told.
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Notably, the real-life lawman Bass Reeves — who racked up an estimated 3,000 arrests during his legendary career — is finally getting his own series, "Lawmen: Bass Reeves," on Paramount+. The Taylor Sheridan "Lawmen" project will home in on a different Wild West lawman each season. But the first is dedicated to Bass, a criminally underrated figure who was beloved by his community and feared by outlaws, and risked his life constantly to uphold justice for all — regardless of skin color.
In anticipation of "Lawmen: Bass Reeves," let's look at 11 of the best Black cowboys from TV shows and cowboy movies, from fictional characters to real gunslingers.
Jonathan Majors as Nat Love and Idris Elba as Rufus Buck in 'The Harder They Fall'
Netflix
This 2021 Netflix Western was one of the first to have an almost entirely Black cast. Jeymes Samuel made his directorial debut in this Black Western based on real heroes and outlaws who lived in the Old West. Rufus Buck was a notorious outlaw whose gang, comprised of African Americans and Native Americans, ravaged the West in the late 1800s. Elba was perfect in this fictionalized version of the criminal who, in the film, killed Nat Love's parents when he was a child.
Nat Love was a legendary hero of the Wild West. Formerly enslaved, he went on to fight in the Civil War and became a well-known cowboy. Bass Reeves and Bill Pickett are a couple more real Black cowboys who appear in the film, which may not be historically accurate but is still really worth watching for the performances alone. Between Elba and Majors and everyone else in between, it's just a really great film.
Where to watch: Netflix
Idris Elba as Harp in 'Concrete Cowboy'
Netflix
This modern Western movie, also from Netflix, was inspired by the Black cowboy culture in Philadelphia, particularly at the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club. Harp reunites with his estranged teenage son, Cole, who has been living with his mom in Detroit. Throughout the film, Harp teaches Cole about his passion for the West and horseback riding, and they slowly form a relationship.
Where to watch: Netflix
Denzel Washington as Sam Chisolm in 'The Magnificent Seven'
Sony Pictures Releasing
"The Magnificent Seven" is a remake of the classic Western from 1960 starring Steve McQueen and Eli Wallach. Sam Chisolm is a lawman from Kansas and the leader of the seven. He's comparable to Yul Brynner's character from the original. Sam is a famous U.S. marshal and the first recruited to help the struggling town of Rose Creek. He's one heck of a gunslinger; the only problem is now I really need to see Denzel in more Westerns.
Where to watch: Sling, Rent on Prime Video
Mario Van Peebles as Jesse Lee in 'Posse'
MGM
Mario Van Peebles directs and stars in this 1993 Western about a group of buffalo soldiers who get betrayed by their corrupt colonel while fighting in the Spanish-American War. Jesse Lee is the group's fearless leader who goes on to avenge the murder of his father. The legendary Woody Strode, who appeared in Westerns back in John Wayne's day, even served as the film's narrator.
Where to watch: Pluto TV, Sling TV, Plex, Cinemax
Danny Glover as Joshua Deets in 'Lonesome Dove'
CBS
Larry McMurtry's classic novel was originally based on a screenplay for John Wayne that never came to fruition. Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving, whose cattle drives across the country became known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail, served as inspiration for the story. Danny Glover's character Joshua Deets was also inspired by a real person, Bose Ikard, the Black cowboy who joined Goodnight and Loving on the trail. Glover nailed his performance as Joshua in the miniseries, which is still widely beloved decades later.
Where to watch: Tubi, Pluto TV, Peacock, The Roku Channel
Danny Glover as Sgt. Washington Wyatt in 'Buffalo Soldiers'
Miramax Films
Another great cowboy character from Danny Glover was Sgt. Wyatt in this 1997 TV film. "Buffalo Soldiers" was inspired by the real Black cavalry that helped protect the West after the Civil War. It's a fascinating part of American history that really deserves more screen time.
Where to watch: Fubo, Rent on Apple TV
LaMonica Garrett as Thomas in '1883'
Paramount Network
LaMonica Garrett starred in this TV show as a former Union Army sergeant who teams up with Capt. Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) to escort a group of immigrants across the West to Oregon. This "Yellowstone" prequel series expertly captured the horrors of life out in the Old West, especially for families traveling to new territories. Thomas was a really interesting character and provided a great representation of the real Black cowboys who lived during this period.
Where to watch: Paramount+
Jamie Foxx as Django Freeman in 'Django Unchained'
The Weinstein Company
Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" is easily one of the most well-known Westerns of the past 20 years. Django is a formerly enslaved person who joins with a German bounty hunter to rescue his long-lost wife from her horrific new owner. A tribute to the spaghetti Westerns that made Clint Eastwood a star back in the day, "Django" is entertaining, at times a bit campy, but a thrilling journey, largely thanks to Foxx's performance as the title character.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Sling TV
Morgan Freeman as Ned Logan in 'Unforgiven'
Warner Bros.
Right after Kevin Costner brought back a love of the Western genre with "Dances With Wolves," Clint Eastwood followed up with "Unforgiven." He earned multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, in this story of an aging outlaw who takes on one last job after spending years retired as a farmer. Morgan Freeman plays fellow retired outlaw Ned Logan, who joins his old friend Will on his final job.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte as Buck and Preacher in 'Buck and the Preacher'
Columbia Pictures
Sidney Poitier made his directorial debut in this 1972 Western. Following the Civil War, former soldier Buck escorts a group of African Americans from Louisiana to the Kansas Territory. After a group of white plantation owners attempts to bring down the Black wagon train, Buck teams up with Preacher to do whatever it takes to get their group safely out West. Initially, they don't get along, and Preacher even considers turning him over to the white men trying to make him fail. But they turn into one of the most memorable duos the Wild West has ever seen.
Where to watch: Sling TV, Tubi, Philo
David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves in 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves'
Lauren Smith/Paramount+
From executive producers Taylor Sheridan and David Oyelowo comes the true and untold story of the first Black U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi. Bass Reeves was a fascinating historical figure who had a major impact on the Wild West. His dedication to upholding the law in the Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma) made him as beloved by his community as he was feared by criminals. He carried out over 3,000 arrests during his long and storied career, often bringing in criminals a dozen at a time. The series "Lawmen: Bass Reeves" premiered Nov. 5, 2023, on Paramount+.
Where to watch: Paramount+
