The Adventures and Escapades of Bass Reeves

The turbulent chaos that reigned during the last quarter of the nineteenth century in the Old West was no more dramatic than in the Indian Territories of pre-state Oklahoma. Bass Reeves, the first African-American deputy marshal employed west of the Mississippi River, was assigned to the wild Indian Territories. Bass became famous for his aliases, ambidextrous shooting, clever disguises, and stylish fashion. In 1907, Oklahoma was granted statehood. In a twist of tragic irony, the newly adopted Jim Crow laws turned against him, forcing Bass to retire to Muskogee, Oklahoma, to serve as a police officer in the segregated area of that small town. Although there is no documentation to prove that Fran Stryker, creator of the fabled masked man, The Lone Ranger, was inspired by the true-life character of Bass Reeves, the similarities between the fictional hero and the real-life Bass Reeves is fascinating. This inspiring and insightful historical account of one man's survival and success, despite appalling injustices, is a fascinating account of the remarkable and eventful life of famed lawman of the Indian Territories, Bass Reeves.