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Bring It On! – July 28, 2025: The Black Rodeo Circuit
In tonight’s episode of Bring It On!, hosts Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell spend the evening with Marcous Friday to discuss the history of the Black Rodeo in America.
Marcous Friday
Marcous Friday has been Arizona’s Black Rodeo announcer for more than 10 years. He says the rodeo experience is amazing: “We’re able to showcase African American cowboys and cowgirls, which is very rare.” It is a testament to the resilience of African Americans. “Back in the day when the cowboys couldn’t even compete in the white rodeos, and if they did, they had to go after the rodeo, so they started these all-black associations because they could not go to a lot of the white rodeos,” explained Friday, as he prepared to announce the rodeo in front of a sold-out crowd in Westworld Arena in Arizona.
Regarding the history of rodeos, Jason and Rae Miller share the following: “Rodeos have long been a tradition that often gets associated with Western culture. Despite this, what we have seen on the big screen and in many history books is not the complete story. Many of these pieces of media influence overlooked and marginalized the Black cowboys and cowgirls that were a part of the tradition. Nationwide information about black rodeo events can be found at Black Rodeo USA. For example, the Roy Leblanc Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo, with a 70-year history, will take place on August 8-9, 2025, in Okmulgee, OK. It is also one of Oklahoma’s longest-running rodeos and one of the largest African-American sporting events in the entire nation.
The Roy Leblanc Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo & Festival 2025 is the nation’s oldest African-American rodeo. It will be in Okmulgee, OK, on August 8-9, 2025. It is also known as the Okmulgee Black Rodeo. The Roy Leblanc Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo is also one of Oklahoma’s longest-running rodeos overall and one of the largest African-American sporting events in the entire nation.
Mary Fields, also known as Stagecoach Mary and Black Mary, was an American mail carrier who was the first Black woman to be employed as a star route postwoman in the United States. Fields held the Star Route contract for delivering U.S. mail from Cascade, Montana, to Saint Peter’s Mission. She was born in 1832 in Hickman County, TN, and she died on December 5, 1914, in Great Falls, MT. She is one of the many unknown figures of the Black cowboy and cowgirl history.
The black rodeo functions like a traditional rodeo. It’s full of events like bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing, and steer wrestling. It emphasizes the talents, skills, and heritage of Black cowboys and cowgirls. At the same time, the black rodeo celebrates the many cowboys and cowgirls who often got the short end of the stick. Few people have documented their stories like many others in rodeo. Some played significant roles in cattle ranching, cattle drives, and rodeo sports.
Credits:
Today’s hosts are Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell.
Our show’s executive producer is Clarence Boone.
Our consultant and WFHB News Department Director is Kade Young.
Our program engineer is Chantalle LaFontant.
Our original theme music was created by Jamyl Efiom, with additional background tracks by David Baker.
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By Bring It On! – WFHB
5
22 ratings
In tonight’s episode of Bring It On!, hosts Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell spend the evening with Marcous Friday to discuss the history of the Black Rodeo in America.
Marcous Friday
Marcous Friday has been Arizona’s Black Rodeo announcer for more than 10 years. He says the rodeo experience is amazing: “We’re able to showcase African American cowboys and cowgirls, which is very rare.” It is a testament to the resilience of African Americans. “Back in the day when the cowboys couldn’t even compete in the white rodeos, and if they did, they had to go after the rodeo, so they started these all-black associations because they could not go to a lot of the white rodeos,” explained Friday, as he prepared to announce the rodeo in front of a sold-out crowd in Westworld Arena in Arizona.
Regarding the history of rodeos, Jason and Rae Miller share the following: “Rodeos have long been a tradition that often gets associated with Western culture. Despite this, what we have seen on the big screen and in many history books is not the complete story. Many of these pieces of media influence overlooked and marginalized the Black cowboys and cowgirls that were a part of the tradition. Nationwide information about black rodeo events can be found at Black Rodeo USA. For example, the Roy Leblanc Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo, with a 70-year history, will take place on August 8-9, 2025, in Okmulgee, OK. It is also one of Oklahoma’s longest-running rodeos and one of the largest African-American sporting events in the entire nation.
The Roy Leblanc Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo & Festival 2025 is the nation’s oldest African-American rodeo. It will be in Okmulgee, OK, on August 8-9, 2025. It is also known as the Okmulgee Black Rodeo. The Roy Leblanc Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo is also one of Oklahoma’s longest-running rodeos overall and one of the largest African-American sporting events in the entire nation.
Mary Fields, also known as Stagecoach Mary and Black Mary, was an American mail carrier who was the first Black woman to be employed as a star route postwoman in the United States. Fields held the Star Route contract for delivering U.S. mail from Cascade, Montana, to Saint Peter’s Mission. She was born in 1832 in Hickman County, TN, and she died on December 5, 1914, in Great Falls, MT. She is one of the many unknown figures of the Black cowboy and cowgirl history.
The black rodeo functions like a traditional rodeo. It’s full of events like bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing, and steer wrestling. It emphasizes the talents, skills, and heritage of Black cowboys and cowgirls. At the same time, the black rodeo celebrates the many cowboys and cowgirls who often got the short end of the stick. Few people have documented their stories like many others in rodeo. Some played significant roles in cattle ranching, cattle drives, and rodeo sports.
Credits:
Today’s hosts are Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell.
Our show’s executive producer is Clarence Boone.
Our consultant and WFHB News Department Director is Kade Young.
Our program engineer is Chantalle LaFontant.
Our original theme music was created by Jamyl Efiom, with additional background tracks by David Baker.