The Cowhands

Originally, White cowboys were called cowhands, and African Americans were pejoratively referred to as “cowboys.” African American men being called “boy” regardless of their age stems from slavery and the plantation era in the South. Enslaved people were made to tend their enslavers’ cattle. After Emancipation in 1863, many African Americans migrated westward. I’m titling this piece The Cowhands, which they deserve.