Recent media coverage around the world has shone a light on stories about contemporary Black American cowboys: the Compton Cowboys of Los Angeles, Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club in Philadelphia, Brianna Noble, the BLM horsewoman/protester in Oakland. “The prevalence of Black men and women in cowboy and ranching culture and history has begun to be highlighted in recent years,” agrees Black Alberta-based filmmaker Cheryl Foggo. “Yet this fascinating history was erased or suppressed in the past. In addition to celebrating this history now, I think it’s important to look critically at the reasons why the erasure happened in the first place. It’s important to ensure that we’re not upholding or perpetuating incomplete cultural narratives.”

Helping to fill the gap in Black Canadian history, specifically Black cowboy and ranching culture, comes Foggo’s feature length documentary John Ware Reclaimed, produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).

John Ware Reclaimed follows filmmaker Cheryl Foggo on her quest to re-examine the mythology surrounding John Ware, the Black cowboy who settled in Alberta before the turn of the 20th century. Foggo’s research uncovers who this iconic figure might have been, and what his legacy means in terms of anti-Black racism, both past and present. The film will have its world premiere at the Calgary International Film Festival on September 24th, and it is a sold out in-cinema screening. The film will also be screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival the same week.

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