Representation Today
The representation of marginalized groups in the story of the American West today is shifting from outdated ideas about what groups existed and settled the West into a reclamation of place in history and culture for those groups that have been historically excluded from the dominant narrative about the West.
TV & Film
[Quanah Parker]. Unknown photographer, circa 1895, cabinet card. George A. Addison Studio Photographic Collection, Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. 2004.110.1.39. https://images.nationalcowboymuseum.org/islandora/object/ncm%3A148363
While there has been more inclusive representation of the West recently including Paramount+ series "Lawmen: Bass Reeves," Netflix’s "The Harder They Fall," as well as series such as FX's "Reservation Dogs," and AMC+'s "Dark Winds," representation of African American and Indigenous communities can sometimes come with controversy and still has a long way to go. (See this report about Native representation across 1,600 films done by The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.)
A recent example of this surrounds Taylor Sheridan and his production company, Bosque Ranch Productions. Sheridan optioned the rights to Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne. The book follows the rise and fall of the Comanche tribe, considered one of the most powerful tribes in American history as it battles against Westward expansion of White settlers over a forty-year conflict. Additionally, it details the life of Quanah Parker, a mixed-blood son of pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker, who was the last and greatest chief of the Comanches.
Several Native actors have spoken out against Sheridan's role in producing this project due him being non-Native as well as his past work in which they found his portrayals of Indigenous people problematic. Many Native actors wish to see more projects about Native people helmed by Native people.
Empire of the Summer Moon by ISBN: 1416591060Publication Date: 2011-05-10*Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award* *A New York Times Notable Book* *Winner of the Texas Book Award and the Oklahoma Book Award* This New York Times bestseller and stunning historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West "is nothing short of a revelation...will leave dust and blood on your jeans" (The New York Times Book Review). Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches. Although readers may be more familiar with the tribal names Apache and Sioux, it was in fact the legendary fighting ability of the Comanches that determined when the American West opened up. Comanche boys became adept bareback riders by age six; full Comanche braves were considered the best horsemen who ever rode. They were so masterful at war and so skillful with their arrows and lances that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana. White settlers arriving in Texas from the eastern United States were surprised to find the frontier being rolled backward by Comanches incensed by the invasion of their tribal lands. The war with the Comanches lasted four decades, in effect holding up the development of the new American nation. Gwynne's exhilarating account delivers a sweeping narrative that encompasses Spanish colonialism, the Civil War, the destruction of the buffalo herds, and the arrival of the railroads, and the amazing story of Cynthia Ann Parker and her son Quanah--a historical feast for anyone interested in how the United States came into being. Hailed by critics, S. C. Gwynne's account of these events is meticulously researched, intellectually provocative, and, above all, thrillingly told. Empire of the Summer Moon announces him as a major new writer of American history.
Fashion
Music
- Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the WorldRUMBLE traces the melodies, rhythms, and beats of traditional Native music as they took different forms across the spectrum of 20th-century American rock.
- Country Music: A Film By Ken BurnsExplore the history of a uniquely American art form: country music. From its deep and tangled roots in ballads, blues and hymns performed in small settings, to its worldwide popularity, learn how country music evolved over the course of the 20th century, as it eventually emerged to become America’s music.
Yeehaw Agenda
The "Yeehaw Agenda" is a cultural movement that celebrates and reclaims the aesthetics, style, and cultural contributions of Black cowboys and cowgirls within the context of country and western culture. Emerging primarily on social media platforms in the 2010s, the Yeehaw Agenda challenges the historically white-dominated narratives of cowboy culture and highlights the significant presence and influence of Black Americans in the American West. It seeks to amplify the voices and experiences of Black rodeo riders, musicians, artists, and communities who have often been marginalized or overlooked in mainstream representations of the West. Through fashion, music, art, and activism, the Yeehaw Agenda celebrates the diversity and resilience of Black cowboy culture, reclaiming it as a vital part of American heritage.
Examples of the Yeehaw Agenda can be seen across various forms of media, fashion, and cultural expression. Artists like Lil Nas X and the hit song "Old Town Road" featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, and artists like Blanco Brown and Breland have incorporated elements of country music into their work, blending it with hip-hop and other genres. It has also influenced fashion trends, with celebrities and influencers embracing cowboy hats, boots, fringe, and Western-style apparel in their outfits. Fashion brands have also incorporated Western-inspired designs into their collections, catering to the resurgence of interest in cowboy aesthetics.