Bass Reeves was an iconic figure in American history, known as one of the first African-American Deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi River and heralded today as the possible inspiration behind the Lone Ranger. Born into slavery in 1838 in Arkansas, Reeves escaped after the Civil War and fled to Indian Territory, where he mastered several American Indian languages. He became a legendary lawman, known for his remarkable skills in tracking down fugitives and maintaining peace in the Wild West. Reeves was known for his intelligence, fearlessness, and expert marksmanship. Despite facing racism and discrimination, he apprehended over 3,000 criminals during his career, earning a reputation as one of the most effective lawmen of his time. Reeves’ legacy continues to inspire, highlighting the significant contributions of African Americans to the shaping of the American frontier. Join Tom and Jenny on this fascinating journey into a lesser-known avenue of American history on a wild and western episode 404.

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Channel art and audio & video editing by Jenny Ashford. Music & sound effects courtesy of freesound.org users jamespotterboy, corsica-s, enjoypa, capturedlv, luffy, kiddpark, and justkiddink. Video clips courtesy of Videezy & Videvo.