Reeves wore his trademark black hat and twin. Reeves gained fame through his exploits and imposing stature of 6’2.” The first black lawman west of the Mississippi, he cut a striking figure on his large gray (almost white) horse. When we watched and admired the fictional Lone Ranger as children, we accepted how he was portrayed. Yet, he probably reflected the real-life story of Bass Reeves, a former slave. government ignored their treaty rights after gold was discovered on native lands. White Americans believed the Indians were wild, bloodthirsty and stubborn, refusing to move to the reservation. Many of us learned only the white American history version growing up.
![is the lone ranger black is the lone ranger black](https://www.incredible-figures.de/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/h/o/hot_toys-the_lone_ranger-tonto-incredible-figures-15_1.jpg)
How do we tell stories and develop characters with lives extremely different from our own given the bias of historical sources? How do we find alternative viewpoints? And, how can we do justice to the painful experiences of non-dominant characters in our stories?Ĭonsider the story of Custer’s Last Stand or the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne people believed they were betrayed. Finding Alternative ViewpointsĪnd so arises the key question for authors of historical fiction. Plus, they enjoy learning from fiction set in an historical context. Readers also expect accurate history in the stories they read. So, historical fiction writers have a responsibility to the historical record. But what record?īuffalo soldiers of the 25th Infantry or the 9th Cavalry, while stationed at Yosemite National Park. Readers of historical fiction express their fondness for this genre because they like a particular historical period. Today we no longer view history as “the truth.” Rather, history is a story told through the lens of the teller. Did you love the Lone Ranger when you were growing up? I did. Audiences assumed he was a courageous (and white) lawman.
That bias impacts authors of historical fiction. I found this session at the Historical Novel Society Conference in Portland. The session addressed the issue of bias in our history. “The Lone Ranger was Black: Reintegrating Minority Viewpoints into Historical Fiction.”
#Is the lone ranger black tv#
“The Lone Ranger” classic TV and radio shows embedded this image of the character (with Tonto) into American lore.