"Bad News for Outlaws" by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

Bad News for Outlaws:  The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

Bass Reeves was an outsized character.  He was taller than most men in the 1800s, could wrestle cattle down to the ground, and tracked down gunslingers in the wild and lawless Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) for the famous pioneer judge, Isaac C. Parker.  We first meet him in the midst of a gunfight where Reeves survives four gunshots and ultimately brings down the fugitive.  As author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson writes in her “Author’s Note,”  “Bass’s story is so incredible it comes close to sounding like a tall tale.  But it isn’t.  It’s true.  And I’ve done my best to tell it true.”  Reeves was a deputy U.S. marshal renowned in his day for his impeccable character and his commitment to justice.  As a former slave, Reeves enforced the law in a society that sometimes could not hide its dislike about “the notion of a black man with a badge.”  Yet Bass Reeves continued to uphold the law in the face of racism even when it meant arresting his own son for murder.   When Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907, Reeves’ job ended after more than three thousand arrests and thirty-two years of service, longer than any other deputy marshal.

In reading this captivating biography of an illiterate runaway slave who became the face of the law on the Oklahoma frontier, I was struck by the number of valiant unheralded individuals who contribute to world history.  Bass Reeves is not a well-known figure in American lore yet his story touches upon many important aspects of U.S. history and the idealized American character.  This inspiring narrative, winner of the 2010 Coretta Scott King Award, can be integrated into lessons on slavery, the western frontier, perseverance in the face of racism, and general discussions of citizenship and character values. 

Author of ten books, Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (http://thebrownbookshelf.com/2009/02/16/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/) has plowed new ground in researching Bass Reeves.  Her richly detailed vignettes are paired with R. Gregory Christie's striking sepia-toned art, resembling the daguerreotypes of a bygone era.  Nelson also provides end-notes that include a timeline, glossary, history of Indian Territory, and a brief summary of Judge Parker's role on the frontier.  However, the biography’s most powerful image is a photograph of Bass Reeves himself, a truly remarkable man.  Thanks to Nelson, Reeves is no longer fading into history.  We are now all able to appreciate a man for whom “duty was his guide.  Right and wrong were clear and simple.”