The Black Cowboys and Buffalo Soldiers Association
Growing up, every time I went to my grandparents’ house, my grandfather would be watching black-and-white cowboy shows and movies. It wasn’t until I got older that I began to understand the connection between Black men and their love for cowboys. Due to a lack of written history about Black cowboys, one might assume there isn’t any history there, but new Milwaukee filmmaker Natalie Derr is taking on her first film, Forged by Steele, to further tell the story of Black cowboys in Milwaukee.
According to The Guardian, America’s first cowboys were Black, and the term “cowboy” was specifically reserved for Black ranchers (Black enslaved individuals). The Guardian said historians estimate that one in four cowboys was African American, yet most Americans don’t know this history, which is why Derr is making her film, which is set to be released in March 2026.
Forged by Steele follows third-generation Black cowboy Issac Steele, the founder and president of The Black Cowboys and Buffalo Soldiers Association in Milwaukee. According to past articles from the Sentinel and the Journal, Steele teaches the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and Black cowboys while giving youth direct access to horses…