Bass Reeves

Have you heard the tale of the most successful lawman of the Wild West? Born a slave, Bass Reeves became the first African American Deputy U.S. Marshal. A legendary marksman, Bass used disguises to fool wanted criminals, lived among Native American people in Indian Territory, apprehended thousands of outlaws, and inspired the tale of the Lone Ranger. Bass Reeves: Tales of the Talented Tenth, chronicles his life from enslavement to famed peace officer. Tales of the Talented Tenth is a graphic novel series that focuses on the adventures of amazing African Americans in action.

Joel Christian Gill is the Chair of Foundations at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. He wrote the words and drew the pictures in Strange Fruit, Volume 1 and Volume 2: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History, and Bessie Stringfield: Tales of the Talented Tenth, No. 2. Joel received his MFA from Boston University and a BA from Roanoke College. Connect with him on Twitter (@joelchristiangill) and join the discussion on social media by following #28DaysAreNotEnough, his call-to-action about Black History.