Winter storm warnings continue in northern Minnesota 

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

, is a collection of seldom-heard stories about the roles African-Americans played in settling the West after America's Civil War. The album's inspiration came during a road trip back home where the fifth generation Arizonan became enamored with an obscure collection of stories. 
"I came across a book called 

 that talked about how one in four cowboys who helped settle the West were African-American cowboys," Flemons, a co-founder of the 

, says. "And being an African-American person that's half-African-American, half-Mexican-American from the Southwest, I just found that to be a fascinating story."
Now, the album has earned Flemons a 

 in the category of best folk album. 
Many songs on 

 will be new to most listeners, but a handful, like Flemons' rendition of "Home on the Range," are instantly recognizable. Flemons presents a new image of the American cowboy — one that isn't exclusively white.


"You have people coming from slavery and emancipation and then, through their hard work and perseverance, in spite of the obstacles they had, they were able to create a new social order that still influences us to this day," Flemons explains. 




The former slaves-turned-settlers Flemons sings about were able to transcend segregation in the Western states. For example, 

, the first African-American deputy U.S. Marshal in the West was likely the towering inspiration for 

. 
Working on the album over the course of two years became deeply personal for Flemons. His grandfather was a sawmill worker, preacher and World War II army veteran from East Texas and the musician says he sees his own family's history in these cowboy stories. He also sees the societal legacy in these stories. "Steel Pony Blues" chronicles 

, who was born into slavery worked on an Arizona ranch and then became a railroad porter. That legacy, Flemons says, would eventually influence the early leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.


"When you think about people like A. Philip Randolph, who started the first all-black working union for Pullman porters," Flemons says, "He was one of the people that helped change the course of African-American history by mentoring people like Martin Luther King Jr."

Arts and Culture

Music

Ryan Heinsius 

Author

The singer-songwriter's latest album, "Black Cowboys," chronicles the role played by African-Americans in settling the West after the Civil War. The album has been nominated for a Grammy.

Dom Flemons presents a new image of the American cowboy

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox