African-American History in Wyoming: Cowboys

1. Casper Star Tribune. "Black Cowboy." Aug. 28, 1975 pg. 5
2. Durham, Philip. "The Adventures of the Negro Cowboys." Bantam, 1969.
3. Durham, Phillip and Jones, Everett L. "Negro Cowboys." The American West, Vol. 1, No. 4, Fall 1964.
4. Gillespie, A.S. and Richardson, W.G. "Wyoming’s Pioneer Ranches." Chapter 20: Famous Cowboys: Top Hands of the Laramie Plains pg. 651-658
5. Guenther, Todd. “Y'all call me Nigger Jim Now, but Someday You All Will Call Me Mr. James Edwards.” Annals of Wyoming, vol. 61, no. No.2, 1989.
6. Love, Nat. "Black Cowboys—The Life and Adventures of Nat Love." Bison Books, 1995
7. Stewart, Paul W. and Ponce, Wallace Yvonne. "Black Cowboys" Phillips Publishing Company, 1986
8. Wyoming State Tribune. August 30, 1904; August 31, 1904 -- Will Pickett
9. WPA Subject 131—Black Rodeo Cowboys Mentioned

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Sam Stewart, AKA Bronco Sam, arrived in Wyoming from Texas around 1874. He started as a cook and worked his way up to become a prominent horse wrangler. Stewart was always humming to soothe the wild horses. Stewart was an incredible rider. He was famous for riding a bull down Cheyenne's main street. People described him as a big man with such broad shoulders it made him look shorter than he was. Bill Nye, the founder of the Laramie Daily Boomerang, said, "Sam had the nose of an Indian warrior, the curly hair of the African, and the courtesy and equestrian grace of the Spaniard." In fact, he spoke fluent Castilian Spanish. Stewart worked for some time for a rancher by the name of Tom Alsop. During his time working on the Alsop Ranch, he saved Tom's son, John, from drowning. Stewart eventually settled down in Laramie. Sadly the Cheyenne Daily Leader reported that on September 9, 1882, Sam Stewart shot his wife and then himself; he died on September 27th. For years after his death, the Laramie and Cheyenne newspapers wrote of Stewart as one of the best riders in Wyoming's history.

Cheyenne Weekly Leader August 9, 1877

• Burns, Robert. "Beef Makers of the Laramie Plains." Annals of Wyoming Vol 36, No. 2 pp 187-188. 
• Cheyenne Eagle July 22, 1984

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Cowboy and rodeo champion. Known for success in bull dogging by biting the steer's lip.

UW Alumni, Champion Bull Rider and first Black PRCA announcer. His personal papers collection is at the American Heritage Center in Laramie.

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A famed outlaw and cattle rustler allegedly killed by Tom Horn. Isom ran with Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch.

Rock Springs Rocket, Mar 1, 1929

Rock Springs Rocket, April 5, 1929 (also Butch Cassidy Vertical File)