Boley, Oklahoma – This week the historic all‑Black town of Boley turns 123 and is honoring its legacy with a special community event. A private screening of the new docuseries High Horse: The Black Cowboy will be held on Friday, showcasing the contributions of Black cowboys to the Western frontier and featuring several Boley residents.
Documentary shines a light on forgotten history
Director and producer Jason Perez explained that the series aims to bring a long‑overlooked chapter of American history to a wider audience. “To me, this is kind of the heartbeat of it all,” he said, noting that the story is deeply tied to Oklahoma’s own past.
The series was developed in partnership with Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, which helped plant the seed for the project. “The seed was planted through the Monkeypaw family, Jordan Peele’s company, and they explored it, and from that it just grew,” Perez added.
Celebrating Boley’s rodeo heritage
Local promoter Karen Ekuban highlighted the importance of the Boley Founders Day Rodeo, which will return for a second year as part of the town’s revitalization efforts. “The Boley Rodeo is so significant because the rodeo was used as a draw to bring people into these historical Black towns,” she said.
Joey Niebrugge of the Cowboy Museum called the event “the oldest Black rodeo in the country,” noting that it sits just down the street from the screening venue. “It’s an amazing opportunity to honor that heritage and that link to Oklahoma before we were even a state,” he said.
Education and preservation
Perez stressed that the story should not be a one‑off curiosity. “This story should not be a one‑off, looked over quickly. It needs to be studied more, talked about more and learned more in schools and beyond,” he urged, emphasizing the role of education in preserving this legacy.
The documentary screening is scheduled for Friday, followed by the Founders Day Rodeo on Saturday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The events are part of a broader effort by town leaders to attract visitors, celebrate local culture, and inspire younger generations to learn about their heritage.
Community pride
Residents expressed pride in sharing Boley’s story with a national audience. “It’s a community that needs to be celebrated and remembered,” Ekuban said, reflecting the town’s determination to keep its history alive.
As Boley marks more than a century of perseverance, the documentary and rodeo serve as reminders of the town’s enduring spirit and its place in the larger tapestry of American Western history.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
