Deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves
DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL BASS REEVES
THIS STATUE WAS ERECTED IN 2012 AS A RESULT OF GROWING
AWARENESS OF THE EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE OF BASS REEVES, AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN FORMER SLAVE WHO BECAME A HIGHLY
RESPECTED DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL. THE DEEDS OF AFRICAN-
AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN LAWMEN AND CITIZENS WERE
OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN STANDARD HISTORY ACCOUNTS FOR MUCH OF THE
20TH CENTURY. A FULLER PICTURE OF THE DIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE
WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS
AVAILABLE AT THE FORT SMITH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE AS
WELL AS THE VARIOUS STATE AND TRIBAL SITES AND
MUSEUMS ACROSS THE ARKANSAS RIVER IN THE FORMER
INDIAN TERRITORY, NOW THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
Photos via @eddieizzard