In this fictionalized biography, gary paulsen, one of the alltime great voices and personalities of childrens literature, is up to several things at once. Bass reeves worked a total of thirtytwo years as a deputy u. Bass reeves, wearing his iconic push broom mustache. Then in his book with 30% of it a sheer fantasy he tries to explain how bass reeves became one of the greatest lawmen in the west. Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary.
During his long career, he was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. A 25foot work of art honors the illustrious lawman, believed to be the first black u. Bass reeves, the first black commissioned united states deputy marshal west of the mississippi river, was born to slave parents in july 1838 in arkansas. Maybe the law aint perfect, but its the only one we got, and without it we got nuthin bass reeves. Bass reeves, overlooked american hero, gets hollywood closeup.
Bass reeves, a black lawman who never shot first, hoofed his way through these parts, bringing men to justice without every suffering a wound himself. Advertisement bass reeves far left policed the indian territory between 1875 and 1907. The american old west was a fertile cauldron for myth and legend, producing such fantastical figures as paul. Parents need to know this is an unflinching portrait of a tough man living in a tough time and place. There they created a productive farm and raised 11 children. Reeves passed away, his son, george, made bass reeves his personal companion and servant. He would become the most accomplished federal marshal in this countrys history. Born into slavery, bass reeves became the most successful us marshal of the wild west. This volume of the trilogy will put the reader in the deadly indian territory and connect bass with pistol pete, belle star and the famous judge issac parker.
Cowboy stories and movies about the wild west are full of amazing characters. Bass reeves 1838 1910 1911addicts the premiere 1911. Bass reeves, he argues, was almost certainly the reallife inspiration for the lone ranger. When morgan and i were editing the film he was directing bopha. Second, he is filling in the missing details with an imagination born not only of research, but of having lived many of those details himself, in. Bass reeves served as a servant to colonel george reeves, son of william, during the civil war and was at the battles of chickamauga, missionary ridge and pea ridge. The bass reeves western trilogy by fred staff and paul l.
Jan 01, 2012 young bass reeves is the first book in the life and legend of bass reeves. And unlike the famous hero of radio, tv and film, reeves wore no mask. Besides documenting the true accomplishments of reeves, a book published a decade ago caused unnecessary confusion by falsely suggesting he was the inspiration for the fictional character of the lone ranger. Sites like sparknotes with a the legend of bass reeves study guide or cliff notes. Bass reeves, a black lawman who never shot first, hoofed his way through these parts, bringing men to justice without every suffering a wound. These characteristics allowed him to be favored by his masterhe became the buddy and personal servant of george reeves. Art burtons evidence to support his conclusion that reeves was the reallife lawman is pretty compelling. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves race and ethnicity in the american west free. First, of course, he is telling the story of reeves life, or what little is known about it. Bass was born a slave and was raised on a farm near paris, texas. Bass reeves was born a slave in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas.
Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nations history. Bass reeves, the first africanamerican deputy arrests an outlaw and brings him toward encampment. Reeves, born into slavery, served for 32 years under federal judge isaac c. As an african american i was disgusted that the achievements of bass reeves was being overshadowed by a myth that he was the inspiration for the fictional lone ranger. Reeves, first as a water boy, then as a field hand. Hbo has reportedly been prepping a bass reeves miniseries since 2015, with morgan freeman coproducing a script from lone stars john sayles thats based on burtons book. Black and indian gunfighters of the indian territory, and traveled to reeves. Certain to provoke controversy and difficult to see as a book for children, who. Bass reeves became a legend of the old west by catching and gunning down black, brown, red and white desperadoes in 32 years as a deputy u. Aug 08, 2017 bass reeves, wearing his iconic push broom mustache. Bass reeves escaped numerous assassination attempts on his life, he was the most feared deputy u. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen scholastic. Reeves, bass the handbook of texas online texas state. As a young man he ran away from his home, mother, and farm that he worked for.
Owned by farmer and politician george reeves, bass worked as water boy and later as his owners personal servant. Bass reeves, american lawman who was one of the first deputy u. Apr 05, 2015 i wrote a report in high school earlier this year about bass reeves. Second, he is filling in the missing details with an imagination born not only of research, but of having lived many of those details himself. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen, paperback barnes. Born to slave parents in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas, bass reeves would become the first black u. Reeves passed away, his son, george, made bass reeves his. What ill say is that once the book makes a profit, i promised the people at the u. In 1838nearly a century before the lone ranger was introduced to the publicbass reeves was born a slave in the arkansas household of william s. Instead, as the first black deputy us marshal west of the mississippi, he fought to clear the arkansas and oklahoma territories of criminals during the late 19th century.
Bass reeves, despite his big frame, was a good man, polite in his ways, and had a good sense of humor. Bass reeves was a paris, texasborn slave who become one of the toughest men of the frontier in history. Reeves would memorize the warrants, then ride out onto the prairie on his greywhite horse. Gary paulsen is the distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books for. Oct 25, 2019 hbo has reportedly been prepping a bass reeves miniseries since 2015, with morgan freeman coproducing a script from lone stars john sayles thats based on burtons book. Being a retired deputy sheriff of over 30 years i found some of the testimony and suspect statements very interesting. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen goodreads. Owned by a man named william reeves, a farmer and politician, bass took the surname of his owner, like other slaves of the time.
If the movie makes my book sell, the museum and the monument will benefit. Bass reeves was a lawman for a total of 32 years with over 3,000 felon arrests and killed 14 outlaws in the line of duty, all without ever being shot himself. He was the most successful federal marshal in the us. Young bass reeves is the first book in the life and legend of bass reeves. An escaped slave, reeves carved out a remarkable career arresting thousands of outlaws in a notoriously difficult region. Marshals service for 32 years at the turn of the 20th century in part of eastern oklahoma and western arkansas. Marshal reeves was one of the most feared deputy u. He shows why bass had to runhiding in the indian territory, leaving his. This book would most likely fit into the western adventure genre. Read common sense medias the legend of bass reeves.
The first book in the bass reeves trilogy western adventure series the bass reeves western trilogy 1 book 1 of 3. Bass reeves probably was born near paris, in lamar county, probably in july 1838. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves race and. Not even the sanctuary of the church could shield wrongdoers. Aug 06, 20 born in 1838, bass reeves was a former slaveturnedlawman who served with the u. Bass reeves is presented as an honorable man, but violence and racism inform much of his life story.
It can be viewed by scanning a qr code that is near the statue on garrison avenue in fort smith, ar. He was a slave, one of seven owned by reeves, a tennessee native who moved to grayson county in the years before. The bass reeves narrative a number of recentlypublished books about bass reeves have increased popularity for the historic figure. The continuing story of bass reeves, the first black us marshal west of the mississippi. The book is also about all his ups and down, and the life of a slave on the run. He escaped to indian territory after severely beating his young master in a dispute over cards and lived among the five civilized tribes, especially the creeks, as a fugitive until 1863.
Dec 06, 2019 bass reeves was born a slave in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas. Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nations history owned by a man named william reeves, a farmer and politician. The legend of bass reeves is a book about an old western cowboy who was once a slave, and. His career was extensively and impressively documented in black gun, silver star. Following examination in archives across the country, it was discovered that three individuals, living in two different states, were responsible for the. Reeves according to research is the only deputy on record who started working for parkers court in 1875 and worked up to statehood in 1907. Born a slave in arkansas, reeves grew up in grayson county, texas, following the relocation of his owner, william s. Despite speculation that he inspired the creation of the lone ranger, few people know the epic story of bass reeves. Bass reeves finally gets his hollywood moment in hbos. A battle of wills arises between them as the outlaw tries to escape. By the time he was 10 years old, he was already performing heroic deeds as he saved the masters daughter and her friend from drowning and carried the injured friend back to the house. House, santiago villalobos, craig rainey, wesley blake. Jun 14, 2012 this video highlight bass reeves, us marshall. Being the true and fictional account of the most valiant marshall in the west gary paulsen, wendy lamb books ten yearold bass reeves and his mother were slaves on misters ranch.
Born into slavery, bass reeves became the most successful us marshal of the. According to cains book, bass reeves family stories indicate there was a fight between bass and george, and bass reeves, being a slave, took out for the indian territory. I agree with all the factual data about this awesome and amazing afroamerican deputy marshal and his fantastic reputation. Morgan and travis read a different book by art burton, the preeminent scholar on bass reeves, black, red and deadly. The legend of bass reeves summary and analysis like. Reports regarding reevess activities and whereabouts. Throughout the book are records of arrests, court testimony, census and tax records and newspaper articles detailing the life and arrests made by bass reeves and other deputy us marshalls. Bass had to overcome, prejudice, betrayal, and some of the worst criminals in oklahoma, the most dangerous district in the country. Bass reeves july 1838 january 12, 1910 was an american law enforcement officer. In 1860, reeves took the distraction of the civil war as an opportunity to escape and live among the indians. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen, paperback.
In the early 1800s when the expression once in a blue moon became popular, a rare and wonderful individual was born. Yet many of the lawmen we think of as heroes were anything but some were. The life and legend of frontier marshal bass reeves, published in 2006 by university of nebraska press. In 1865 when the thirteenth amendment passed he moved to a farm with his wife, near van buren, arkansas. A drama based on the life of bass reeves, the first africanamerican united states deputy marshal. The legend of bass reeves the legend of bass reeves is a book about an old western cowboy who was once a slave, and then became a great deputy in his town. Many heroic lawmen of the wild west, familiar to us through television and film, were actually violent scoundrels and outlaws themselves.
Marshals museum in fort smith, ar, and the bass reeves monument that i would split the earnings between them. Being the true and fictional account of the most valiant marshall in the west. Bass reeves little known black history fact black america web. Read common sense media s the legend of bass reeves. During the civil war, george reeves joined the confederate army and tagged along with him bass reeves weiser, 2009.
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