The month of February is Black History Month, and now, more than ever, it's important to look into the rich history of black men and women of the United States and the contributions they've made that often go unsung.
Generally speaking, people of color have had a huge hand in building the cultural foundations of this country. Cowboy Cleo Hearn reminds us of that, and that not so long ago, our society had a much different perception of people of color.
Hearn was already a professional cowboy in the 1950s, and it wasn't just the profession that wasn't so easy back then. When he entered the ring, he says that half of the people rooted for him. The other half didn't care whether he won or lost — all because of the color of his skin.
Now Hearn has four sons and a granddaughter who are all professional cowboys. They are not targeted by the same racism he endured once upon a time, but he believes in how important it is to teach today's youth about the history of the cowboy in the United States, primarily that the cowboy wasn't always white. So he created Cowboys Of Color Rodeo. And it spreads not only a message about the profession, but about history: It's easy to forget, for example, that it was a black man who discovered New Mexico.
If you want to support Hearn, his organization, and his mission, please SHARE!
