Bass was born a slave and was raised on a farm near paris, texas. In 1838nearly a century before the lone ranger was introduced to the publicbass reeves was born a slave in the arkansas household of william s. Bass reeves little known black history fact black america web. There they created a productive farm and raised 11 children. A drama based on the life of bass reeves, the first africanamerican united states deputy marshal. Reeves, first as a water boy, then as a field hand. The first book in the bass reeves trilogy western adventure series the bass reeves western trilogy 1 book 1 of 3. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen teen ink. 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. Cowboy stories and movies about the wild west are full of amazing characters. Jun 14, 2012 this video highlight bass reeves, us marshall. Aug 08, 2017 bass reeves, wearing his iconic push broom mustache. He escaped to indian territory after severely beating his young master in a dispute over cards and lived among the five civilized tribes, especially the creeks, as a fugitive until 1863.
Aug 06, 20 born in 1838, bass reeves was a former slaveturnedlawman who served with the u. His career was extensively and impressively documented in black gun, silver star. By the time he was 10 years old, he was already performing heroic deeds as he saved the masters daughter and her friend from drowning and carried the injured friend back to the house. Bass reeves, overlooked american hero, gets hollywood closeup. Born into slavery, bass reeves became the most successful us marshal of the. Oct 25, 2019 hbo has reportedly been prepping a bass reeves miniseries since 2015, with morgan freeman coproducing a script from lone stars john sayles thats based on burtons book. Bass reeves, despite his big frame, was a good man, polite in his ways, and had a good sense of humor. May 18, 2015 morgan and travis read a different book by art burton, the preeminent scholar on bass reeves, black, red and deadly.
Read common sense medias the legend of bass reeves. Being the true and fictional account of the most valiant marshall in the west. The legend of bass reeves the legend of bass reeves is a book about an old western cowboy who was once a slave, and then became a great deputy in his town. Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary. An escaped slave, reeves carved out a remarkable career arresting thousands of outlaws in a notoriously difficult region. Instead, as the first black deputy us marshal west of the mississippi, he fought to clear the arkansas and oklahoma territories of criminals during the late 19th century.
Dec 06, 2019 bass reeves was born a slave in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas. Born a slave in arkansas, reeves grew up in grayson county, texas, following the relocation of his owner, william s. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves, published in 2006 by university of nebraska press. Second, he is filling in the missing details with an imagination born not only of research, but of having lived many of those details himself, in. Owned by farmer and politician george reeves, bass worked as water boy and later as his owners personal servant. The book is also about all his ups and down, and the life of a slave on the run. Jan 01, 2012 young bass reeves is the first book in the life and legend of bass reeves. Gritty, fictionalized biography of forgotten western hero.
In 1860, reeves took the distraction of the civil war as an opportunity to escape and live among the indians. When morgan and i were editing the film he was directing bopha. Bass reeves escaped numerous assassination attempts on his life, he was the most feared deputy u. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves race and. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen, paperback barnes. The legend of bass reeves summary and analysis like. Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nations history. He worked mostly in arkansas and the oklahoma territory. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves race and ethnicity in the american west free. Bass reeves, a black lawman who never shot first, hoofed his way through these parts, bringing men to justice without every suffering a wound himself. Certain to provoke controversy and difficult to see as a book for children, who. The american old west was a fertile cauldron for myth and legend, producing such fantastical figures as paul. The legend of bass reeves is a book about an old western cowboy who was once a slave, and.
In the early 1800s when the expression once in a blue moon became popular, a rare and wonderful individual was born. This book would most likely fit into the western adventure genre. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen, paperback. Being a retired deputy sheriff of over 30 years i found some of the testimony and suspect statements very interesting. Bass reeves, a black lawman who never shot first, hoofed his way through these parts, bringing men to justice without every suffering a wound. Bass reeves, wearing his iconic push broom mustache. The bass reeves western trilogy by fred staff and paul l. Read common sense media s the legend of bass reeves. Gary paulsen is the distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books for. I agree with all the factual data about this awesome and amazing afroamerican deputy marshal and his fantastic reputation. What ill say is that once the book makes a profit, i promised the people at the u. During the civil war, george reeves joined the confederate army and tagged along with him bass reeves weiser, 2009. Bass reeves is presented as an honorable man, but violence and racism inform much of his life story. Marshal reeves was one of the most feared deputy u.
As a young man he ran away from his home, mother, and farm that he worked for. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen scholastic. Reports regarding reeves s activities and whereabouts. Born to slave parents in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas, bass reeves would become the first black u. If the movie makes my book sell, the museum and the monument will benefit. Marshals museum in fort smith, ar, and the bass reeves monument that i would split the earnings between them. It can be viewed by scanning a qr code that is near the statue on garrison avenue in fort smith, ar. House, santiago villalobos, craig rainey, wesley blake. Young bass reeves is the first book in the life and legend of bass reeves. During his long career, he was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. Not even the sanctuary of the church could shield wrongdoers. Bass reeves was a lawman for a total of 32 years with over 3,000 felon arrests and killed 14 outlaws in the line of duty, all without ever being shot himself. The bass reeves narrative a number of recentlypublished books about bass reeves have increased popularity for the historic figure. He shows why bass had to runhiding in the indian territory, leaving his.
And unlike the famous hero of radio, tv and film, reeves wore no mask. Throughout the book are records of arrests, court testimony, census and tax records and newspaper articles detailing the life and arrests made by bass reeves and other deputy us marshalls. Bass reeves was born a slave in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas. Hbo has reportedly been prepping a bass reeves miniseries since 2015, with morgan freeman coproducing a script from lone stars john sayles thats based on burtons book. Following examination in archives across the country, it was discovered that three individuals, living in two different states, were responsible for the. Bass reeves, the first africanamerican deputy arrests an outlaw and brings him toward encampment. A battle of wills arises between them as the outlaw tries to escape. Many heroic lawmen of the wild west, familiar to us through television and film, were actually violent scoundrels and outlaws themselves. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen goodreads.
Bass reeves was a paris, texasborn slave who become one of the toughest men of the frontier in history. Morgan and travis read a different book by art burton, the preeminent scholar on bass reeves, black, red and deadly. Born into slavery, bass reeves became the most successful us marshal of the wild west. Reeves would memorize the warrants, then ride out onto the prairie on his greywhite horse. He would become the most accomplished federal marshal in this countrys history. Bass reeves probably was born near paris, in lamar county, probably in july 1838. Bass reeves, the first black commissioned united states deputy marshal west of the mississippi river, was born to slave parents in july 1838 in arkansas. Bass reeves july 1838 january 12, 1910 was an american law enforcement officer. Owned by a man named william reeves, a farmer and politician, bass took the surname of his owner, like other slaves of the time. In this fictionalized biography, gary paulsen, one of the alltime great voices and personalities of childrens literature, is up to several things at once. First, of course, he is telling the story of reeves life, or what little is known about it. Being the true and fictional account of the most valiant marshall in the west gary paulsen, wendy lamb books ten yearold bass reeves and his mother were slaves on misters ranch. Marshals service for 32 years at the turn of the 20th century in part of eastern oklahoma and western arkansas. Yet many of the lawmen we think of as heroes were anything but some were.
Reeves, bass the handbook of texas online texas state. In 1865 when the thirteenth amendment passed he moved to a farm with his wife, near van buren, arkansas. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves, the reallife. These characteristics allowed him to be favored by his masterhe became the buddy and personal servant of george reeves. Bass reeves, he argues, was almost certainly the reallife inspiration for the lone ranger. According to cains book, bass reeves family stories indicate there was a fight between bass and george, and bass reeves, being a slave, took out for the indian territory. Mini about hero lawman bass reeves in works at hbo deadline. Bass reeves 1838 1910 1911addicts the premiere 1911. The continuing story of bass reeves, the first black us marshal west of the mississippi. Bass reeves served as a servant to colonel george reeves, son of william, during the civil war and was at the battles of chickamauga, missionary ridge and pea ridge. Bass reeves became a legend of the old west by catching and gunning down black, brown, red and white desperadoes in 32 years as a deputy u. This volume of the trilogy will put the reader in the deadly indian territory and connect bass with pistol pete, belle star and the famous judge issac parker.
Sites like sparknotes with a the legend of bass reeves study guide or cliff notes. Bass reeves finally gets his hollywood moment in hbos. Reports regarding reevess activities and whereabouts. Apr 05, 2015 i wrote a report in high school earlier this year about bass reeves. Bass reeves, american lawman who was one of the first deputy u. As an african american i was disgusted that the achievements of bass reeves was being overshadowed by a myth that he was the inspiration for the fictional lone ranger. He was a slave, one of seven owned by reeves, a tennessee native who moved to grayson county in the years before. Bass reeves worked a total of thirtytwo years as a deputy u. Parents need to know this is an unflinching portrait of a tough man living in a tough time and place. Reeves passed away, his son, george, made bass reeves his personal companion and servant.
Besides documenting the true accomplishments of reeves, a book published a decade ago caused unnecessary confusion by falsely suggesting he was the inspiration for the fictional character of the lone ranger. 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. Reeves, born into slavery, served for 32 years under federal judge isaac c. Despite speculation that he inspired the creation of the lone ranger, few people know the epic story of bass reeves. He was the most successful federal marshal in the us. Reeves passed away, his son, george, made bass reeves his.
Bass reeves was a part of the slaves who had to work for there masters, or mister, as he called him. Second, he is filling in the missing details with an imagination born not only of research, but of having lived many of those details himself. Art burtons evidence to support his conclusion that reeves was the reallife lawman is pretty compelling. But of all the sheriffs of the frontier, one man stands out as a true hero. Black and indian gunfighters of the indian territory, and traveled to reeves. Then in his book with 30% of it a sheer fantasy he tries to explain how bass reeves became one of the greatest lawmen in the west. Burton, author of the 2006 biography black gun, silver star. A 25foot work of art honors the illustrious lawman, believed to be the first black u. Bass had to overcome, prejudice, betrayal, and some of the worst criminals in oklahoma, the most dangerous district in the country.
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