The Real Wild West

Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, John Wayne. We've seen them roping and wrangling and defeating their enemies, all by the time the credits role.But what was the role of cowboys in the real wild west? What was the role of black men in this industry? And how have they been erased in popular culture?In this episode, Don speaks first with Roger Hardaway, professor of history at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Roger has written and researched extensively on the American West, and is the co-editor of African Americans on the Western Frontier.Don is then joined by Tony Warner, founder of Black History Walks and co-founder of the African Odysseys programme, to talk about how the inclusion of black people on the screen has evolved.Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, James Holland, Mary Beard and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribeYou can take part in our listener survey here.