“Hector Bazy” is: Courtesy Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Exhibition Opening Celebration - Black Cowboys: An American Story
Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 6-9 p.m.
The Autry in Griffith Park
- Admission:
- Available to invited guests, Supporter, Patron or Curator’s Circle members.
- RSVP/Reservations:
- Reservations Required | RSVP to Ryan Lichten in the Membership Office at 323-495-4262
About the Member Event
Join the artists and museum leadership as we celebrate the Autry’s new exhibition, Black Cowboys: An American Story.
• 6 p.m. | Reception begins in museum lobby. Exhibition open.
• 7 p.m. | Leadership remarks by Autry Museum President & CEO, Stephen Aron.
About the Exhibit
Did you know that one of four cowboys who went on the trail was Black?
Black Cowboys: An American Story explores the lives and work of the numerous Black men, women and children – enslaved and free – who labored on the ranches of Texas and participated on cattle drives before the Civil War through the turn of the twentieth century. This powerful exhibition features artifacts, photographs and documents depicting the work and skills of Black cowboys. Black Cowboys: An American Story offers insight into legendary cowboys, a clearer picture of the Black West and a more diverse portrait of the American West. Be transported through time to meet a variety of real Black cowboys and appreciate their deep impact on American History. Discover how they tamed and trained horses, tended livestock and rode on the trail with thousands of cattle across America.
This exhibit will be located in the George Montgomery Gallery from May 17, 2025 – January 4, 2026.
Exhibition Sponsors
Black Cowboys: An American Story was developed by the Witte Museum, San Antonio (WitteMuseum.org). The exhibition is presented by Bank of America and generously supported by the John L. Santikos Charitable Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation, HE-B and Ed Rachal Foundation.