Bad News for Outlaws
The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal

Illustrations by R. Gregory Christie
Carolrhoda Books, 2009

Sitting tall in the saddle, with a wide-brimmed black hat and twin Colt pistols on his belt, Bass Reeves seemed larger than life. As a deputy U.S. Marshal—and former slave who escaped to freedom in Indian Territory—Bass was cunning, fearless, and honorable. When a lawbreaker heard Bass Reeves had his warrant, he knew it was the end of the trail, because Bass always got his man. He achieved all this in spite of whites who didn’t like the notion of a black lawman. For three decades, Bass was the most feared and respected lawman in the Territory. He made more than 3,000 arrests, and though he was a crack shot and a quick draw, he preferred not to use deadly force and only killed fourteen men in the line of duty. Bad News for Outlaws reveals the story of a remarkable African American hero of the Old West.