As an avid Instagram user and subscriber to influencer culture, I have been following the virtual Black Lives Matter movement closely and reflecting on ways that I can fight the systems around me as well as the individualized racism of friends and family. One way I have been practicing my anti-racism is through diversifying my social media timelines and following Black influencers, YouTubers, and businesses (I’ll leave a few recommendations down below). One page I came across during my search was that of the Compton Cowboys (@comptoncowboys on Instagram). One of their missions as an organization is to “reintroduce Blackness to cowboy culture”. As a native Texan and fan of all cowboy fashion trends, I was immediately intrigued.
Last year, the world was captivated by Lil Nas X’s song “Old Town Road” which was even dubbed the song of the Summer by some and played on every pop radio station. Lil Nas and his hit single were perhaps the biggest clue that a surge of cowboy trends were about to emerge including colorful cowboy boots, sequin cowboy hats, and cow print EVERYTHING. And while a Black man’s foray into country music may have come as a surprise to some, the intersections between race and cowboy culture are actually not new at all. In fact, the Smithsonian cites that one in four cowboys was Black.
An 1825 census found that 25% of the Texas population were enslaved African people brought along by white slave owners who migrated to Texas for cheap land and to avoid taxes. In the 1860s, Texan ranchers left to fight in the Civil War and many of the enslaved people living on the ranches were responsible for everyday ranch chores such as herding cattle, raising livestock, and breaking horses. This allowed Black people to refine their ranching skills and opened up job opportunities post-Civil War. One historian wrote that working a ranch was one of the few jobs open to people of color, and although this was progress, African Americans were still discriminated against and barred from restaurants, saloons, and rest stops. As rodeo culture grew, most African Americans were denied entrance into competitions. However, some cowboys such as Bill Picket, a man born in Texas in the 1870s to formerly enslaved parents, were able to infiltrate the white competitions and become the first big rodeo stars.
Today, Black cowboys like the Compton Cowboys honor the traditions of Black cowboys but are still facing discrimination. The Compton Cowboys began in 2017 as a group of 10 childhood friends that had rode together at Compton Jr. Posse in Compton, California. They work to combat the negative stereotypes of African Americans in Compton, especially within the rodeo world. Beyond working to dismantle harmful stereotypes, several of the cowboys note that horseback riding provided an alternative to joining a gang or getting involved with street violence. Anthony Harris says that riding a horse to places like the convenience store is what stops gang members from starting trouble (as they recognize he is not a member of a rival gang) as well as prevents police from unfairly stopping and searching him. Both are common issues in the under resourced Compton area. In the future these cowboys hope to break into the white dominated rodeo circuit and help young horseback riders compete.
For all these reasons the Compton Cowboys are not just regular rodeo competitors or ranchers. But what also sets them apart is their style. “We’re different than most cowboys because we wear Air Jordan’s, Gucci belts and baseball hats while we ride,” Anthony Harris said. “But we could also dress like other cowboys.” Their personal sense of fashion reflects the communities they grew up in and the street style of Compton while also staying true to the roots of western cowboy fashion. I enjoy the cowboy trend as much as anybody, but it is essential to acknowledge the ways in which Black people have contributed to and popularized fashion trends that the mainstream population enjoys.
A few Instagram accounts to follow in addition to @ComptonCowboys
Fashion: @theNotoriousKia @fashionandracedatabase @JaneDottieVintage @AdutaKech @EdieLibertyRose @Aaron__Philip
History and Activism: @BlackArchives.Co @slavedwellingproject @NotYourMommasHistory @MLK50Memphis @shishi.rose
General Creatives: @BlackCraftsPeopleDA @SustainableMaria @BlackbirdKhai @Kihmberlie @antwff @emmanuellek_ @lame.cobain @isthisfate @nycxclothes @helloyowie
Youtube: Lisa Onuoha, The Notorious Kia, Kianna Naomi, Snitchery, Kelly Stamps
