Bass Reeves

Bass Reeves (July 1838 – January 12, 1910) was a deputy U.S. Marshal, gunfighter, farmer, scout, tracker, and railroad agent who escaped from slavery. He spoke the languages of several Native American tribes including Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, and Muscogee. Reeves was one of the first black Deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi River, mostly working in the Indian Territory. Reeves is credited with more than 3,000 arrests during his career and with killing twenty men in the line of duty.

Reeves was born into slavery in Crawford County, Arkansas. His family was enslaved by Arkansas state legislator William Steele Reeves. During the American Civil War, his enslavers fought for the Confederacy. At some point, Reeves escaped and fled to Indian Territory, where he learned American Indian languages and customs, as well as tracking and survival skills. He eventually became a farmer and rancher. In 1875, Reeves was hired as a deputy U.S. Marshal at age 37. Reeves was well acquainted with the Indian Territory and served there for over 32 years as a peace officer, covering over 75,000 square miles in what is now Oklahoma. He accidentally shot his cook, William Leach, which led to the court case United States vs. Bass Reeves, for which he was acquitted. His first wife Jennie died in 1896, and in 1902 he had to arrest his son Benjamin "Bennie" Reeves, who was charged with murdering his wife, Castella Brown. Bennie was found guilty by a jury on January 22, 1903, in Muskogee. The presiding judge was C. W. Raymond. Bennie was sentenced to the U.S. prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for his natural life.

Reeves's weapons of choice were the Winchester Models 1873 and 1892. Both rifles used cartridges (commonly .44-40) compatible with contemporary handguns, allowing him to carry a single type of ammunition. He also carried a shotgun and briefly used an 1873 Colt Single Action Army "Peacemaker" in .45 Colt. He tracked and killed outlaw Jim Webb, who had murdered over eleven people. Another outlaw Reeves encountered was murderer and horse thief Wiley Bear. Reeves rounded him up along with his gang, which included John Simmons and Sam Lasly. Reeves was involved in a gunfight with the Creek desperado Frank Buck, whom he shot and killed.

Reeves has been portrayed in popular media, including television shows, films, novels, poems, and books. He was also inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame. A bronze statue of Reeves was erected in Pendergraft Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Bass Reeves Memorial Bridge in Oklahoma was named after the lawman. A life-size statue of Reeves was erected and unveiled by the Three Rivers Museum on January 11, 2025, in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Early life Reeves was born into slavery in Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1838. He was named after his grandfather, Bass Washington. Reeves and his family were owned by Arkansas state legislator William Steele Reeves. The Emancipation Proclamation gave Reeves his freedom. As a freedman, Reeves returned to Arkansas and farmed near Van Buren.

Career

Reeves and his family farmed until 1875, when Isaac C. Parker was appointed federal judge for the Indian Territory. Parker appointed James F. Fagan as U.S. marshal, directing him to hire 200 deputy U.S. marshals. Fagan had heard about Reeves, who knew the Territory and could speak several Native languages. He served there until 1893. That year he transferred to the Eastern District of Texas in Paris, Texas, for a short while. In 1897, he was transferred again, serving at the Muskogee Federal Court in the Native Territory.

His great-great-grandson is former National Football League and Canadian Football League player Willard Reaves. His great-great-great-grandsons are National Hockey League player Ryan Reaves and CFL player Jordan Reaves. (Ryan Reaves's grandfather is reported to have changed the family name from Reeves to Reaves, a claim not verified by historians or genealogists.)

Memorials

In 2011, the US-62 Bridge, which spans the Arkansas River between Muskogee and Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, was renamed the Bass Reeves Memorial Bridge. In May 2012, a bronze statue of Reeves by Oklahoma sculptor Harold Holden was erected in Pendergraft Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas. In 2013, he was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame. He is also memorialized in a bronze statue on the stairway of the Lamar County Courthouse in Paris, Texas.

Popular culture Television Reeves is one possible inspiration for the Lone Ranger, the travelling hero of western radio, TV and films; historian Art T. Burton says "Bass Reeves is the closest person to resemble the Lone Ranger" citing similarities including Reeves working with Native American partners and handing out souvenir silver dollars. Reeves is the subject of season 1, episode 3 titled "Bass Reeves: Trailblazing Lawman" (2021) in the Roku series Wild West Chronicles. Reeves is the subject of season 2, episode 4 titled "The Real Lone Ranger" in Gunslingers. Reeves figures prominently in an episode of How It's Made, in which a Bass Reeves limited-edition collectors' figurine is shown in various stages of the production process. In "The Murder of Jesse James", an episode of the television series Timeless (season one, episode 12), Reeves is portrayed by Colman Domingo. Reeves was a featured subject of the Drunk History episode "Oklahoma" in which he was portrayed by Jaleel White. In "Everybody Knows", a season two episode of the television series Wynonna Earp, Reeves is portrayed by Adrian Holmes. Reeves is mentioned in the plot of "The Royal Family", a season two episode of the television series Greenleaf. Reeves's name is used as an alias by pastor Basie Skanks to support his church with gambling earnings. Reeves's status as one of the first black Deputy U.S. Marshals plays a significant role as a childhood role model for the character of Will Reeves in the Watchmen television series. Reeves is portrayed by Jamal Akakpo in three episodes featuring a fictional 1920s silent film based on Reeves's exploits titled "Trust in the Law". Reeves is mentioned in season 3, episode 2 of the television series Justified as two U.S. Marshals are discussing their all-time favorite historical U.S. Marshals. Reeves features in the "Stressed Western" episode of Legends of Tomorrow, portrayed by David Ramsey. Reeves is portrayed as Diggle's ancestor; Sara Lance calls him "Dig" at one point. The Legends encounter him at Fist City, Oklahoma while pursuing the Haverack, a rage-attracted alien worm that has been excreting gold. After the Haverack was slain by Astra Logue, Reeves brought Fist City back in order. Reeves features as a character played by Gary Beadle in the 2021 TV series Around the World in 80 Days. A miniseries based on Art T. Burton's 2006 biography (and co-produced by Morgan Freeman) was reported to be under development by HBO in 2015. The concept was later acquired by Amazon Studios in 2019 and ordered to series in 2022 under the title Twin Territories. In season 34, episode 14 of The Simpsons, "Carl Carlson Rides Again," the character Lenny states that the TV show "The Lone Ranger" is based on Reeves. A limited series based on the life of Reeves entitled Lawmen: Bass Reeves from creator Taylor Sheridan and starring David Oyelowo began airing on Paramount+ on November 5, 2023. His ghost appears in an episode of the second season of the animated series Gremlins: The Wild Batch voiced by Keith David. Reeves is the protagonist of Netflix's upcoming steampunk animated series Bass X Machina, voiced by Brian Tyree Henry.

Film In They Die by Dawn (2013), Reeves is portrayed by Harry Lennix. Hell on the Border is a 2019 action film based on the early law enforcement career of Reeves, starring David Gyasi. It was written and directed by Wes Miller and features Ron Perlman in a supporting role. In April 2018, Amazon Studios was reported to be developing a biopic of Reeves with the script and direction helmed by Chloé Zhao. Reeves is portrayed by Delroy Lindo in The Harder They Fall (2021). Reeves is portrayed by Isaiah Washington in the independent film Corsicana.

Theater A theatrical production about Reeves entitled Cowboy, written and directed by Layon Gray, debuted in 2019 at the National Black Theatre Festival. It played Off-Broadway at The Actors' Temple West 47th St in Manhattan.

Games Reeves is a character in the miniature wargame Wild West Exodus. Reeves is a playable character in the board game Western Legends. In the card game Cartaventura Oklahoma, one plays the fictional escape of Bass Reeves with five possible outcomes. The game also includes an insert with a summary of Bass Reeves's story. Bass Reeves appears as a quest NPC in the video game Nightingale. Reeves was to be the playable protagonist of Bass Reeves Can't Die, a game that was being developed by , the developers of El Paso, Elsewhere.

Comic books Darko Macan, Igor Kordey: Marshal Bass (12 books), Delcourt Reeves plays a supporting role in the Lucky Luke adventure "A Cowboy in High Cotton". Reeves was a supporting character alongside Doc Holliday in the miniseries Atomic Robo and the Knights of the Golden Circle (5 issues).

Hall of fame In 1992, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. In 2006, he was inducted into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum.