History of Black cowboys and cowgirls focus of event in Gainesville
The history of Black cowboys and cowgirls in Florida will be the focus of a two-day event in Gainesville.
Billed as “Black Cowboys and Cowgirls in Florida,” the event will be held today (Friday) from 6-9 p.m. and Saturday (April13) at the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center at 837 SE Seventh Ave.
The session Friday will feature a presentation by John Nix, president of the North Central Florida Black Farmers Association. There will also be a walk-through exhibit and a movie will be shown titled “History of Black Cowboys.”
The exhibit is from the Florida Agricultural Museum in Palm Coast and details the history of Black cowboys in Florida.
Nix is a fourth-generation cattleman and cowboy. He said his grandfather Edward Hall established his farm in 1901 in Rochelle, a rural town just east of Gainesville.
He has a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering at Kansas State University and said his grandfather was a major influence in his life when it comes farming and herding cattle.
Nix said he has learned valuable lessons as a cattleman, such as patience, focus and understanding.
"Farming became a central part of our lives," Nix said.
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Nix said he works on the agricultural advisory board at Florida A&M University and appreciates the opportunity to expose the community to cowboy history.
"This event introduces young people to the agricultural world," Nix said. "This exposure can be used as a springboard for their education. I am looking forward for them to learn more about the history of Black cowboys and Florida."
He is looking forward to those who attend learning more about how Black people’s interest in becoming cowboys dates back to Africa when Black people were herders, Nix said.
"We have always been a part of herding cattle," Nix said.
The session on Saturday will be held from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. and will feature horses on the field outside of the museum where attendees will learn how to take care of horses.
There will be an instructor teaching about saddling, feeding, and grooming horses and there will be lasso and roping demonstrations.
Smooth Flava will be giving line dance instructions and local food vendors will be serving barbecue and fried fish.
To reserve a spot at the event, visit https://bit.ly/43T0xcC.
Barbara McDade Gordon, an event co-chair and a CCMCC board member, is originally from Texas and has always been into rodeos and wanted to host a cowboy and cowgirl event in Gainesville.
“The Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center has done a lot of good programs to promote and disseminate Black history in Florida,” she said. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s a wonderful event for all people of all ages.”
Gordon shared that attendees will be able to learn Florida’s history regarding cowboys.
“Most of the time when you see cowboy movies, we don’t see cowboys of color.” Gordon said. “As a result of this, we’re hoping this history can go into schools. This is history they can know and learn from.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Black cowboys and cowgirls to be focus of Gainesville event
