The Enjoined Archives

Rodeo Inventor • Cowboy Performer • Unwritten Legend

Bill Pickett

Born: December 5, 1870

Died: April 2, 1932

Texas roots. Global legacy.

Bill Pickett was a storm, not just a cowboy. He was born in Texas to parents who had once been slaves, and with a move that had never been seen in the world before, he made his name in the dust of the American West. Bill grabbed cattle by the lip and used his bare hands to pull them down while others used rope to tame them. He referred to it as bulldogging. Pickett's legacy serves as a reminder that Black talent exists in motion, invention, and rebellion rather than just books. Racism attempted to eradicate him, requiring him to disguise himself as Native American or Mexican in order to enter the arena, despite the fact that he performed for presidents and audiences all over the world. In addition to being the first, Bill's fearlessness is what makes him memorable.

Image Credits to:**Pickett Bulldogging on Horseback, 1905**
Source: Texas Highways / Traces of Texas
Credit: Courtesy of Texas Highways magazine; published online ~3.8 years ago
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"The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class—it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of humanity."

Anna Julia Cooper

1858 – 1964

Born into slavery, Anna Julia Cooper became one of the most influential Black thinkers of her era. Educator, author, and speaker, she was the first Black American woman in history to receive a Ph.D. and the fourth overall. Anna Julia Cooper was a living example of intersectionality before the term was coined.Enjoiner pays tribute to her as a mother of contemporary thought, a guardian of the intellect, and a reminder that even the most subdued voices have the power to change the trajectory of entire empires.

Image Credits to: https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/bellcm/15400/15413v.jpg

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He rode silent, but justice echoed in his wake.

Bass Reeves

U.S. Deputy Marshal 1838 – 1910

One of the first Black U.S. Deputy Marshals west of the Mississippi River was Bass Reeves. Before becoming a lawman, he lived among Native American tribes after escaping slavery during the Civil War. Bass Reeves redefined the law rather than merely enforcing it. He carried his rifle, his Bible, and his badge with unwavering dignity during a period when Blackness was illegal.

Image Credits to: https://www.oxygen.com/sites/oxygen/files/styles/scale_862/public/2022/02/bass-reeves-oklahoma-historical-society.jpg?itok=Upwe0m5f

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Where You Can Give

These organizations are not affiliated with Enjoiner—we simply spotlight them because their missions align with the stories we tell and the futures we believe in.

Empowers young Black girls to become tech leaders through education in computer programming and digital innovation.

Link: https://www.wearebgc.org/volunteer

Preserves and shares the stories of Black communities through historical records, photos, and oral histories.

LInk: https://www.bahlt.org/

Provides therapy and mental health support for Black women and girls.

LInk: https://thelovelandfoundation.org/

A leading institution dedicated to the preservation and celebration of African and African diaspora culture.

Link: https://www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg

Legal defense for the wrongfully incarcerated, public education on racial injustice, and the creation of powerful cultural memorials like the Legacy Museum.

Link: https://eji.org/