Reeves, Bass

1838-1910 · Contribution: 1875-1907

Law & Civil Rights

First African American Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River; arrested over 3,000 outlaws across a 32-year career; widely believed to be a real-life inspiration for the Lone Ranger legend

Law & Civil Rights — collage image
Law & Civil Rights

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Quick facts

Born
1838-1910
Category
Law & Civil Rights

Impact on the world

Reeves was one of the most effective lawmen of the American West, enforcing federal law across a vast and violent territory while Black in the Jim Crow era.

Sources

  1. Oklahoma Historical Society (Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture)

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