African American Cowboys Tie Down Ropers in the Louisiana Florida Parishes

Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr.

A wonderful aspect of living in the beautiful Louisiana Florida Parishes is the opportunity to document  the rich history of the people that call the Florida Parishes home.  Historically, African American cowboys  and calf ropers have played an important role in the cattle industry. In the cowboy community Fred Whitfield won more than $3 million dollars and eight world championships competing on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association tour. 

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Richard Johnson in St. Helena Parish.  Richard's father was a roper and was regarded as one of the best cow ropers in the parish. Whenever a cow got loose, the owners would call Richards's father to find it and bring it home. One of his old friends talked about how Richards father would find the animal every time. 

Richard's passion for rodeo, horse riding, and roping is inherited from his father.  Richard's place is a gathering place for cowboys and horsemen from the Florida Parishes who come to ride, rope, and barrel race. The sport is enjoyed by women and men alike. 

Cowboy hats, boots, and jeans were in full display on the riders of some of the riding clubs.  They rode their horse with pride and joy and the gallop for all the spectators. The equestrian feat was observed by all observers as they galloped with pride and joy. 

As part of preserving history, I documented the riders through photographs and video. In addition, I managed to interview a few horsemen. To ensure the future access to the Black Cowboys and Ropers stories, I  planned to donate the electronics files to the Amistad Research Center in New Orleans for future research and documentation.