Photographer John Ferguson documents the lives of modern-day black cowboys . Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos:Photos: Black cowboys in America Historian : The black cowboy played a crucial role in taming the American West . Were cattle-herding slaves labelled `` cow-boys '' where the term originated ?
Photographer John Ferguson documents the lives of modern-day black cowboys . Historians now estimate up to one in four cowboys in Old West were African-American . Historian : The black cowboy played a crucial role in taming the American West . Were cattle-herding slaves labelled `` cow-boys '' where the term originated ?