Black History

Black Cowboy William Pickett Invented Rodeo Event Called ‘Bulldogging’

As a young boy he’d watched herder dogs subdue huge steers by biting their upper lips. At around age 10, he decided to do the same but by using his own technique.

Published

4 years ago

September 29, 2021

Christy Price

Wilson Pickett

It was in the state of Texas that the cowboy lifestyle came into its own. The state’s vast lands had been populated with cattle since it was colonized by Spain in the 1500s. By the 1800s, millions of cattle grazed there, making cattle farming a “bountiful economic and cultural phenomenon,” according to author Katie Nodjimbadem.

Images depicted in movies and television shows of these cattle ranchers (cowboys) have mostly been of white Americans. Although Black cowboys “don’t play a part in the popular narrative, historians estimate that one in four cowboys were Black,” Nodjimbadem wrote. One of them was William Pickett (ca. 1870–1932), who became a cowboy after completing the fifth grade.
Records show that Pickett was born in 1870 in western Williamson County.

As a young boy he’d watched herder dogs subdue huge steers by biting their upper lips. At around age 10, he decided to do the same but by using his own technique. After perfecting a unique way of steer wrestling -or bulldogging– and roping and riding he began performing stunts at public events.

Steer wrestling, a rodeo event during which a mounted cowboy (or bulldogger) races alongside and then tackles a full-grown steer, was invented by Pickett. If a cowboy is experienced, he can wrestle a steer to the ground in five to eight seconds. Standing at only five feet, seven inches tall and weighing 145 pounds, Pickett used his signature move to grab a steer by its horns, twist its neck, and bite it on one lip.

The 500–600-pound animal would then fall backward, allowing Pickett to pull it to the ground.
Once the steer was on its side with all four of its feet pointing in the same direction, Pickett was done. This rapidly became a popular contest at cowboy events, later becoming a standard of contemporary rodeo. Bulldogging however, has since been modified to reduce danger to the steer.

By 1903, Pickett’s career had taken off. This success spurred Dave McClure, an event promoter, to dub Pickett the “Dusky Demon” and bill him as the “most daring cowboy alive.”

According to Texas history writer Lori Grossman, the term ‘dusky’ was “intended to disguise Pickett’s ethnicity whenever white cowboys shied from appearing on the same program as an African-American man.”

Pickett competed in rodeos large and small, yet amassing a significant record as a competitor was impossible. Although Blacks had not been officially barred from most contests, he was often billed as a Native American or not identified as Black.

The Wild West’s heyday quieted after World War I. Pickett’s show, the 101 Ranch Wild West Show, where he had been a headliner for 26 years, closed down in 1931. He died the following year after a horse kicked him in the head.

Forty years after his death, Pickett became the first black honoree in the National Rodeo Hall of fame. In 1989, he was enshrined in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Versions of Pickett’s bulldogging are still performed by rodeo athletes today.

Christy Price

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Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

Published

2 days ago

May 25, 2025

Oakland Post

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OPINION: Your Voice and Vote Impact the Quality of Your Health Care

One of the most dangerous developments we’re seeing now? Deep federal cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, the life-saving health insurance program that covers nearly 80 million lower-income individuals nationwide. That is approximately 15 million Californians and about 1 million of the state’s nearly 3 million Black Californians who are at risk of losing their healthcare.

Published

1 week ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

Rhonda M. Smith.

By Rhonda M. Smith, Special to California Black Media Partners

Shortly after last year’s election, I hopped into a Lyft and struck up a conversation with the driver. As we talked, the topic inevitably turned to politics. He confidently told me that he didn’t vote — not because he supported Donald Trump, but because he didn’t like Kamala Harris’ résumé. When I asked what exactly he didn’t like, he couldn’t specifically articulate his dislike or point to anything specific. In his words, he “just didn’t like her résumé.”

That moment really hit hard for me. As a Black woman, I’ve lived through enough election cycles to recognize how often uncertainty, misinformation, or political apathy keep people from voting, especially Black voters whose voices are historically left out of the conversation and whose health, economic security, and opportunities are directly impacted by the individual elected to office, and the legislative branches and political parties that push forth their agenda.

That conversation with the Lyft driver reflects a troubling surge in fear-driven politics across our country. We’ve seen White House executive orders gut federal programs meant to help our most vulnerable populations and policies that systematically exclude or harm Black and underserved communities.

One of the most dangerous developments we’re seeing now? Deep federal cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, the life-saving health insurance program that covers nearly 80 million lower-income individuals nationwide. That is approximately 15 million Californians and about 1 million of the state’s nearly 3 million Black Californians who are at risk of losing their healthcare.

Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California, doesn’t just cover care. It protects individuals and families from medical debt, keeps rural hospitals open, creates jobs, and helps our communities thrive. Simply put; Medicaid is a lifeline for 1 in 5 Black Americans. For many, it’s the only thing standing between them and a medical emergency they can’t afford, especially with the skyrocketing costs of health care. The proposed cuts mean up to 7.2 million Black Americans could lose their healthcare coverage, making it harder for them to receive timely, life-saving care. Cuts to Medicaid would also result in fewer prenatal visits, delayed cancer screenings, unfilled prescriptions, and closures of community clinics. When healthcare is inaccessible or unaffordable, it doesn’t just harm individuals, it weakens entire communities and widens inequities.

The reality is Black Americans already face disproportionately higher rates of poorer health outcomes. Our life expectancy is nearly five years shorter in comparison to White Americans. Black pregnant people are 3.6 times more likely to die during pregnancy or postpartum than their white counterparts.

These policies don’t happen in a vacuum. They are determined by who holds power and who shows up to vote. Showing up amplifies our voices. Taking action and exercising our right to vote is how we express our power.

I urge you to start today. Call your representatives, on both sides of the aisle, and demand they protect Medicaid (Medi-Cal), the Affordable Care Act (Covered CA), and access to food assistance programs, maternal health resources, mental health services, and protect our basic freedoms and human rights. Stay informed, talk to your neighbors and register to vote.

About the Author

Rhonda M. Smith is the Executive Director of the California Black Health Network, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity for all Black Californians.

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IN MEMORIAM: Nate Holden, State Senator and Longtime Los Angeles Councilmember, Dies at 95

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn described Holden as “a lion” in the State Senate and a force to be reckoned with on the Los Angeles City Council.” Hahn added that she learned a lot working with Holden when she was a new councilmember.

Published

1 week ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

Former Los Angeles Councilmember and California State Sen. Nate Holden. File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Nathaniel “Nate” Holden, a prominent figure in the city’s politics, passed away at the age of 95, his family confirmed on May 7.

Holden, who represented South Los Angeles for 16 years on the City Council and served one term in the California State Senate, was widely regarded as a forceful advocate for his community.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn described Holden as “a lion” in the State Senate and a force to be reckoned with on the Los Angeles City Council.”

Hahn added that she learned a lot working with Holden when she was a new councilmember.

Holden’s journey to political prominence began in the segregated South, where he was born in Macon, Georgia, in 1929. He often recalled the childhood moment when he first heard the governor of Georgia vowing to continue suppressing Black people.

“Doing the best you can for the people. Law and order. Make sure that people’s communities are safe. I did it all,” said Holden, reflecting on his legacy.

Holden is survived by his sons, including former California Assemblymember Chris Holden, who represented a district in Southern California that includes Pasadena and Altadena in Los Angeles County and cities in San Bernardino County.