1. Fort Smith Museum of History

2. Fort Smith
Howe
Arkansas Counties After 1874

3. THE
LEGEND
OF BASS
REEVES:
The Most Feared
Deputy U.S.
Marshal in the
Indian Country

4. THE
LEGEND
OF BASS
REEVES:
The Most Feared
Deputy U.S.
Marshal in the
Indian Country

5. THE LEGEND OF BASS REEVES:
The Most Feared Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Indian Country
Bass Reeves won a reputation as the
"most feared U.S. marshal in
the Indian country."
. . . Bass Reeves was one of those
rugged lawman who brought law
and order to the American West,
and more particularly to
nineteenth-century Oklahoma.

6. THE LEGEND OF BASS REEVES:
The Most Feared Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Indian Country
He is especially important, but not
because of his thirty-two years as a
marshal or his feats of bravery. He is
important because he represents the way
Oklahoma really was - the early
multicultural Oklahoma, when the men
who "wore the star" were not necessarily
white but sometimes were black.

7. THE
LEGEND
OF BASS
REEVES:
character
portrayal of
Bass Reeves
T. Baridi Nkokheli

8. THE
LEGEND
OF BASS
REEVES:
readings from the
book, The
Remarkable Life of
Bass Reeves, Deputy
U.S. Marshal by
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

9. Fort Smith National Historic Site

10. Fort Smith National Historic Site

11. BASS UPBRINGING/SLAVE
DAYS/WHEN FREED
Bass Reeves was born in
Paris,Texas in 1824.
He worked as a water boy on
his owner’s plantation.
Owner was George Reeves.

12. BASS UPBRINGING/SLAVE
DAYS/WHEN FREED
Bass fled from the
plantation.
He lived with the
Seminole and Creek
Indians.

13. Indian Territory, 1889

14. BASS UPBRINGING/SLAVE
DAYS/WHEN FREED
He left his indian home for
a new job.
He got married.
He became a successful
rancher and farmer.

15. DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL
The Indian Territory had become a
refugee for murderers, thieves, and
robbers.
Isaac C. Parker was appointed judge in
Fort Smith, Arkansas.
U.S. Deputy Marshal James Fagan,
appointed by Isaac C. Parker, appointed
Bass Reeves.

16. DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL
Bass Reeves accepted the job and
became the first black Deputy
U.S. Marshal west of the
Mississippi River.
Reeves couldn’t read or write.
Someone read Reeves the warrant
and he memorized them.

17. DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL
Reeves rode a large stallion, usually wore
a large black hat.
He was polite and courteous to everyone.
He wore to colt pistols and was a good
shot with both of his left and right hand.
He would leave Fort Smith, Arkansas and
return a few months later with a large
group of outlaws.

18. DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL
Reeves arrested his own son.
Who had been served with murdering
his wife.
He brought his son the Muskogee,
Oklahoma.
Reeves’ son was a model citizen after
serving his time at Leavenworth prison
in Kansas.

19. DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL
Reeves served 35 years as a U.S.
Deputy Marshal.
He brought in over 3,000 criminals
during his career. Killed only 14.
Reeves earned his place in history
as being one of the most effective
lawmen in the Indian Territory.

20. THE
LEGEND
OF BASS
REEVES:
character
portrayal of
Bass Reeves
T. Baridi Nkokheli

21. OKLAHOMA STATEHOOD, NOV. 16, 1907

25. How did
disguises and
tricks help Bass
Reeves better
perform his
duties? Was it
right of him to
lie to these
people? Why or
why not?

26. Why was Bass
Reeves not liked
by some white
men? Did he do
something
wrong? How has
the perception
of race changes
from then to
now?

27. What else do
you know about
native american
and the indian
territory?
Why was it
unusual that
bass reeves
escaped there?

28. Did the fact
that Bass was
illiterate (that
he couldn’t
read) affect his
ability to be a
Deputy U.S.
Marshal? How
did he adapt?

29. What if you
weren’t able to
read? How
would life be
more difficult?

30. If Bass Reeves
was such an
amazing lawman,
why do you
think he isn’t as
well known as
Wyatt Earp or
Bat Masterson?

31. THE LEGEND OF BASS REEVES:
The Most Feared Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Indian Country

32. Fort Smith Museum of History