James Beckwourth loved to tell stories. His tales of fierce animals, attacks by thieves, and the perils of mountain life were incredible. But there was something even more important about his stories.
They were all true! During Beckwourth’s time, the Western United States was dangerous, and very few explorers survived excursions out West. How did he live to tell his tales?
Unlike white explorers, who antagonized Indigenous peoples and exploited them in fur trading, Beckwourth honored the Native tribes’ customs and lands. Instead of stealing from them, he learned from them, and this allowed him to travel and trade furs safely.
He also used his knowledge to create his own trail westward, which allowed other explorers to safely trek in his footsteps. Even with all his work, however, historians called his stories “campfire tales” or “tall tales” that weren’t to be taken seriously. Why?
It was unheard of for a Black man to be an independent explorer – and to succeed without the racist violence of Davy Crocket or Daniel Boone. His counter-example showed the truth of white cruelty. The racism that aimed to erase Beckwourth’s legacy from the westward expansion of this country was meant to keep us ignorant of our true greatness.
We must be honest about our stories, so we can inspire ourselves and others to limitless possibilities!