The Historic Black Rodeo: Boley Rodeo Days
The Historic Boley Rodeo is the oldest all-Black rodeo in the United States. Since 1903, it has occurred in Boley, Oklahoma.
This historic event is much more than a rodeo. It is an annual event honoring the legacy of the nation’s most historic Black towns. It is a celebration of Black cowboy culture and history. It also honors Myrtis Dightman, the first Black cowboy to compete in the National Finals Rodeo.
Boley, Oklahoma, is located halfway between Paden and Castle in the central part of Okfuskee County. It is one of 13 all-Black towns still in existence.
The town of Boley was established by Creek freedman James Barnett’s daughter Abigail. However, it was named for a white official of the Smith and Western Railway who encouraged the development of the town that began as a camp for Black railroad construction hands.
At one time, there were 50 all-Black towns in Oklahoma. These all-Black towns grew out of the “Indian Territory” (now called Oklahoma) after the Civil War when former slaves known as “Freedman” settled together.
The nationally prominent African American educator Booker T. Washington visited Boley twice. He wrote an article about this town which was published in 1908 by Outlook Magazine.
Originally, white cowboys were called “Cowhands,” and African Americans were called “Cowboys”. Many of the cowboys were born into slavery but found better lives and faced less racial discrimination traveling the open ranges.
The town of Boley went bankrupt in 1939 due to a significant decline in population during the Great Depression and after both Great Migrations. Before WWII there were 700 people in the town of Boley. Boley residents left for urban areas that had more jobs and resources. However, former Boley residents return each year for the rodeo to meet old friends and uphold their forefathers’ legacy and the history they made for themselves and future generations.
The Chamber of Commerce presents the Boley Invitational Rodeo & BBQ Festival. The Boley Rodeo will be held May 24, 2025, at the Historic Boley Rodeo Arena. Tickets can be obtained online at www.thetownofboley.org and presented at the gate. The $20 ticket includes admission to the rodeo, concert, and the kid zone. The schedule is as follows:
• Car Show (9:00 a.m.)
• Parade (3:00 p.m.)
• Concert (5:00 p.m.)
• Boley Rodeo (7:00 p.m.)
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