The Real “True Grit”: African Americans on the Western Frontier
presented by history instructor Art Burton on Friday, Feb. 25, at 6:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.
Widely considered an expert in this field, Burton’s presentation will feature an analysis of the remake of the John Wayne classic, “True Grit,” and reveal factual information of what the “real” West was like with outlaws, lawmen, cowboys and settlers.
Widely considered an expert in his field, Burton was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Cowboys of Color Museum in Fort Worth and his book Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves was a finalist in 2007 for Best Biography of the Western Writers of America.
“Bass Reeves was arguably the premier law enforcement officer of that era and is one of the greatest American heroes of the western frontier,” said Burton, who has appeared on the History Channel for commentary during several shows about the west. Burton has also appeared on BET, CBC, BBC and Voice of America radio. His other books are Black, Red, and Deadly (1991), a historical account of African American and Indian Gunfighters of the Indian Territory between the years 1870 – 1907; and Black, Buckskin and Blue: African American Scouts and Soldiers on the Western Frontier (1999).
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A lifelong resident of Phoenix, Ill., Burton has been an instructor at South Suburban College for 29 years.
For information, call 708-596-2000 ext. 2276.
