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

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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
- Oklahoma Historical Society (Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture)
1 more sources and references are available to members.
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