They called him The Black Fox. The Calico Cowboy. A name whispered through saloons and frontier towns — branded as a rustler, an outlaw, and a gunslinger who roamed the borderlands between Texas, Mexico, and Colorado.For over a century, the legend of Isam Dart has been told as that of a notorious outlaw gunned down by the infamous Tom Horn. But what if that story — the one printed in dime novels, repeated in old newspapers, and echoed in Western lore — was never true?In this episode, we dive deep into the real life of Isam Dart — not the outlaw myth, but the man himself. A Black cowboy, horseman, and rancher whose skill, reputation, and integrity made him one of the most respected figures in the high country of Brown’s Park, even helping in the capture of Harry Tracy. His life was shaped not by crime, but by hard work, resilience, and the struggle to survive in the frontier.And Thank You to the incredible research and insight from Dan Davidson, Paul Knowles, Bob Silbernagel, and the team at the Museum of Northwest Colorado in Craig, we can finally separate the legend.

#WildWestDeepDives #IsamDart #BlackCowboys #TomHorn #WesternHistory #ForgottenWest #ColoradoHistory #WildWest #FrontierLegends #MuseumOfNorthwestColorado

Isam Dart Licenses

The Battle of Palmito Ranch

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/palmito-ranch-battle-ofTwo Bar Ranch Brown’s ParkJon Roanhaus, CC; 4.0Sand HillsChris Light, CC; 4.0Ora Haleyhttp://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/horndart.htmlJoe Davenporthttps://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/bub-meeks-and-wild-bunch-winchesterElroy P. Philbrickhttps://wyomingcowboyhalloffame.org/inductee_cowboys/elroy-p-philbrick/Hahns Peakhttps://nwcoloradoheritagetravel.org/hahns-peak-colorado/Isam Dart SourcesThe Legendhttps://www.legendsofamerica.com/isom-dart/https://www.legendsofamerica.com/anne-bassett/https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/isom-dart-1849-1900/Article by Richelle Rawlings-Carrollhttps://www.reporterherald.com/2022/02/21/a-look-at-black-history-black-cowboy-isom-dart-killed-by-assassin-tom-horn/Article by Kenneth JessenThe Truthhttps://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/black-cowboy-demeaned-by-fictional-representation/article_51322eb2-b44f-11eb-aa56-efc799cf8b9c.htmlArticle from Bob Silbernagelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJCg2GTEZoADan Davidson, Isam Dart Historian, Museum of Northwest ColoradoAspen Daily Chronicle Article 30th April 1890Link; https://www.ppc-historicnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=ADC18900930.2.21&srpos=1&e=-------en-20-ADC-1--img-txIN%7CtxCO%7CtxTA-Isam+DArt-------0------