Black Heroes of the Wild West: Featuring Stagecoach Mary, Bass Reeves, and Bob Lemmons
James Otis Smith
TOON Books
September 15, 2020

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About Black Heroes of the Wild West

True stories from the Wild West, but not like you’ve seen in the movies.

This graphic novel by James Otis Smith celebrates the extraordinary true tales of three black heroes who took control of their destinies and stood up for their communities in the Old West. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Mary Fields became famous as “Stagecoach Mary,” a cigar-chomping, cardplaying coach driver who never missed a delivery. Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi, was one of the wiliest lawmen in the territories, bringing thousands of outlaws to justice with his smarts. Bob Lemmons lived to be 99 years old and was so good with horses that the wild mustangs on the plains of Texas took him for one of their own.

My Review

I stumbled onto this book while looking for resources for Black History Month. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. This book is packed with great information and engaging stories about historical figures in the American West.

The book opens with an introduction from the award-winning Kadir Nelson, who explains the book’s purpose and offers additional context for the work itself. Three biographies presented in graphic novel format follow the introduction. Through these engaging biographies, readers meet Mary Fields, Bass, Reeves, and Bob Lemmons.

Maybe I’d heard of Mary Fields, or “Stagecoach Mary,” as she came to be known, before reading the book. I definitely had not heard of the two men featured in the text. I love how the panels not only give facts about the lives of these incredible people but also reveal their character.

After the graphic novel panels relating those three biographies, there are a few pages of text and photographs that tell more abbreviated information about other Black heroes of the American West. The text also offers a more comprehensive view of what was happening at the time. There’s also a timeline that puts everything into perspective.

Conclusion

This book is as informative as it is engaging. A great pick for anyone interested in learning more about the history of the American West or about Black history.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Stagecoach Mary cared for and worked with nuns for years in Montana.

Violent Content
Vague references to gunfights and outlaws. Nothing graphically shown or described.

Drug Content
References to adults drinking alcohol and smoking cigars.

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