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Black, Buckskin, and Blue

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Title: Book Review By Cecil Craig

Black, Buckskin, And Blue: African American Scouts & Soldiers on the Western Frontier

By Art T. Burton

Art T. Burton's first book (still available) was Red Black and Deadly: Black and Indian Gunfighters of the Indian Territory. That popular western law enforcement history book came out in 1991. The author's new book, Black Buckskin, and Blue, continues to concentrate on men of color who helped settle America's western frontier. The book's central theme addresses African-American scouts and soldiers on the frontier during the nineteenth century much like he did with outlaws and lawmen of color in his first book.

Although Oklahoma is not the exclusive setting for the book, a great deal of the historical incidents contained in it did occur in Oklahoma. For instance, Black, Buckskin, and Blue: African American Scouts and Soldiers on the Western Frontier is thought to be the first book to discuss the role of black soldiers stationed in Indian Territory and their involvement in the Creek Nation tribal rebellion known as the Green Peach War of 1882.

Divided into three sections, Burton's book begins with a number of profiles of little known African-American frontier scouts. Among these is Frank Grouard, a black man who the author credits as being the person most responsible for the death of Indian Chief Crazy Horse.

After profiling these men along with a number of fur trappers and guides, the second section of the book is devoted to the Civil War in the west. Black, Buckskin, and Blue is thought to be the first book to examine the role of black soldiers operating west of the Mississippi River during the Civil War. These colored troops, as they were referred to at the time, played an important role in federal victories within the Trans-Mississippi military theater during the War Between the States.

The book's third section deals with the Buffalo Soldiers of our nation's military. Often times being the only representatives of the federal government during the days of America's westward expansion following the Civil War, which was especially true in Indian Territory, many of their actions related to law enforcement. According to the author, "The term 'Buffalo Soldiers' has become a catch phrase; anyone that knows anything about western history should know something about (them)."

Surprisingly,some degree of Old West law enforcement had a direct relationship with the history of the United States black 9th and 10th Calvary regiments along with the African-American 24th and 25th Infantry. Art T. Burton has done a good job relating a number of law enforcement actions under taken by these military units. In it, he relates when and how the Buffalo Soldiers pursued outlaws as well as hostile Indians on the western frontier.

Henry B. Crawford, curator of history at the Museum of Texas Tech University described the book, Black, Buckskin, & Blue by saying; "In the tradition of great storytelling historians of the frontier genre, Art Burton applies his skills once again to destroy the artificial ethnic boundaries which still pollute today's popular image of the historic western frontier..."

For more on an overlooked chapter in western law enforcement and the contributions of African-Americans in settling America's frontier, Art Burton's new book is recommended reading.

Did I enjoy reading this book? No! It actually brought me down emotional, and at times, lifted me spiritually. Is the book worth reading? Heck yeah!

This book is simply bittersweet for me. These Black men were responsible for opening the West for white settlement by the power structure at the time. However, these fantastic men were simply tools in aiding and subjugating and annihilating the indigenous people and stealing their land. They were the best and certainly deserved to be studied and remembered by the world, but especially, us - their children. Bittersweet....

My only complain about this book was Mr. Arthur's constant use of the word "hostiles" in describing the native people who had the audacity to fight for their land and way of life. I thought a Black man would know better. It's like being called savages. I got hostile a few times with him in my mind when he used the word "hostiles." Like I said y'all - bittersweet.