Is 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves' a true story? What to know about Oklahoma's first Black marshal

"Yellowstone" and "Tulsa King" mastermind Taylor Sheridan is turning his focus to one of the most iconic unsung heroes in Oklahoma history with his new Paramount+ series "Lawmen: Bass Reeves."

The eagerly awaited original series premieres exclusively on the streaming service with two episodes on Sunday, Nov. 5 in the U.S. and all Paramount+ international markets. It stars executive producer and Emmy-nominated star David Oyelowo, Honorary Oscar recipient Donald Sutherland and Emmy nominee Dennis Quaid.

"Lawmen: Bass Reeves" will follow Reeves' journey from enslavement to law enforcement as one of the first Black U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi River, according to the show's logline.

Here's what else we know so far about "Lawmen: Bass Reeves" after Sunday night's premiere:

Oklahoma's most famous marshal: Paramount+ series 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves' premieres with David Oyelowo, Dennis Quaid

Is 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves' based on a true story?

Sure is.

Bass Reeves was born enslaved in Arkansas in 1838 and grew up in Texas, where he was owned by Col. George R. Reeves, who served with the Confederate army during the Civil War. During the war, Bass Reeves escaped into Indian Territory, and he learned to communicate with the Cherokee, Creek and Seminole nations.

After his escape, Reeves served in the Union Army for the rest of the Civil War, then settled on a farm in Van Buren, Arkansas. In 1875, the legendary "Hanging Judge" Isaac C. Parker, who had taken over the Fort Smith marshal’s office, commissioned Reeves as a deputy U.S. marshal.

Reeves spent 32 years as a deputy marshal in Indian Territory. He was the only deputy to begin with Parker's court and work until Oklahoma statehood in 1907, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Historians describe him as 6'2", a spiffy dresser, and always riding a white stallion. Some also argue that he was the inspiration for "The Lone Ranger."

Upon Reeves' death on Jan. 12, 1910, the Muskogee Phoenix wrote, "In the history of the early days of Eastern Oklahoma the name of Bass Reeves has a place in the front rank among those who cleansed out the old Indian Territory of outlaws and desperadoes."

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Did Bass Reeves really live with the Seminole Nation, Oklahoma?

In the first episode, we see Bass Reeves go to Oklahoma's Indian Territory, where he meets a woman named Sara who is a member of the Seminole Nation. Sara takes him in and offers him food, water, and eventually a way of life.

Bass lives among the Seminole Nation with Sara and her son Curtis, who teaches him the language and customs of the Seminole.

This is true of the real-life Bass Reeves, who also lived among the Cherokee and Creek tribes. Today, these three nations' tribal lands are located around Tulsa, stretching up to Oklahoma's northeast corner.

When do 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves' episodes come out?

The first two episodes of "Lawmen: Bass Reeves" premiered on Paramount+ on Nov. 5, and new episodes will drop on the streaming service every Sunday after that.

There are eight episodes of the show, so if you're planning to binge them all at once, they'll all be available on Dec. 17.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Is 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves' based on a true story? What to know