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The Compton Cowboys : the new generation of cowboys in America's urban heartland Cover Image Book

The Compton Cowboys : the new generation of cowboys in America's urban heartland

Thompson-Hernández, Walter (author.).

Summary: In Compton, California, ten black riders on horseback cut an unusual profile, their cowboy hats tilted against the hot Los Angeles sun. They are the Compton Cowboys, their small ranch one of the very last in a formerly semirural area of the city that has been home to African-American horse riders for decades. To most people, Compton is known only as the home of rap greats NWA and Kendrick Lamar, hyped in the media for its seemingly intractable gang violence. But in 1988 Mayisha Akbar founded The Compton Jr. Posse to provide local youth with a safe alternative to the streets, one that connected them with the rich legacy of black cowboys in American culture. From Mayisha's youth organization came the Cowboys of today: black men and women from Compton for whom the ranch and the horses provide camaraderie, respite from violence, healing from trauma, and recovery from incarceration. The Cowboys include Randy, Mayisha's nephew, faced with the daunting task of remaking the Cowboys for a new generation; Anthony, former drug dealer and inmate, now a family man and mentor, Keiara, a single mother pursuing her dream of winning a national rodeo championship, and a tight clan of twentysomethings--Kenneth, Keenan, Charles, and Tre--for whom horses bring the freedom, protection, and status that often elude the young black men of Compton. The Compton Cowboys is a story about trauma and transformation, race and identity, compassion, and ultimately, belonging. Walter Thompson-Hernández paints a unique and unexpected portrait of this city, pushing back against stereotypes to reveal an urban community in all its complexity, tragedy, and triumph.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9780062910608
  • ISBN: 0062910604
  • ISBN: 9780062910615
  • ISBN: 0062910612
  • Physical Description: print
    258 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : color illustrations ; 24 cm
  • Edition: First edition
  • Publisher: New York, NY : William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2020]

Content descriptions

Formatted Contents Note:
Prologue -- The parade -- Through her eyes -- The fires -- The art of peer pressure -- Skittles -- Keiara's song (her pain) -- Close call -- Good kid -- Death of a flower -- Maxed out -- Don't mess with Texas -- The decision -- Passing the reins -- The party -- The golden flask -- Back at the ranch -- Cowboy beef -- Bunny's liquor or swimming pools -- PBR -- The kids -- Alright, Then -- Author's note: The 11th cowboy -- Acknowledgments.

Search for related items by subject

Subject:
African American cowboys California Compton
African Americans California Compton
Horses California Compton
Ranches California Compton
Human-animal relationships
Compton (Calif.) Social conditions
Genre:
Biographies.

Available copies

  • 24 of 24 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
  • 1 of 1 copy available at Onslow County Public Library.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 24 total copies.
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Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Jacksonville Main Library 979.4004 THO (Text) 36015000859252 Adult Nonfiction Available -
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