The untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves follows the journey of Reeves (David Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black US Marshal west of the Mississippi.
Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.
This new series is based on a real-life figure. Bass Reeves was born in 1838 in Arkansas, then fought in the Civil War for the Confederacy for his owner’s son, Col. George Reeves.
Following the war, he worked as a guide for US government officials interested in traveling through Indian Territory.
In 1875 he was commissioned to be a deputy US marshal by Federal Judge Isaac Parker. Reeves apprehended more than 3,000 criminals in what is now Oklahoma and Arkansas. According to some, Reeves was the inspiration for the fictional character the Lone Ranger.
Bass Reeves was a legend. The new series based on his life, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, is now streaming on Paramount+. The series shows how his skills as a black cowboy and his ability to converse with Native Americans made him invaluable as a US Marshal.
Oyelowo teamed up with Taylor Sheridan, the creator of the Yellowstone series, to create Bass Reeves. There are great supporting roles from Donald Sutherland and Dennis Quaid. Lauren E. Banks plays Bass’s wife Jennie, rounding out the series.
Bass Reeves is an honorable man bolstered by faith and family to do right by those who have done wrong to others. If you love westerns, or are a fan of this underrated historical figure, give this series a shot.
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