Carolyn Carter, general manager of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, has been with the company since its inception in 1984. Along with Memphis, the association makes stops in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver and more.

On the road, Carter spreads the word of the historical significance of black cowboys.

“It’s important we let America know we’re here, and this is what we do,” said Carter. “Our story is not told as much because we’re not writing the history books. But we don’t let that stop us. We do what we always do — continue forward.

“The settling of the West would not have happened without black cowboys,” she added. “If there were 10 cowboys, I guarantee you seven of them were black. And they got the roughest jobs because they were the bravest. And they got the jobs nobody else wanted. In the end, that made them better trainers, better horsemen, better at settling the West."