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Photographs from America's Only Touring Black Rodeo
by Gabriela Hasbun
Featuring stunning full-color photographs by Gabriela Hasbun, The New Black West celebrates the modern Black cowboys of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo and the community that comes together to witness their achievements year after year.
A powerful symbol of self-reliance, strength, and determination, the Black cowboy is a figure commonly overlooked in the histories of the American West. Held annually in cities across the United States, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR) honors the historic accomplishments of Black cowboys and fosters a vibrant community dedicated to continuing that legacy. Bay Area photographer Gabriela Hasbun has spent more than a decade photographing this beloved event in the Oakland hills. Her images capture the joy and excitement of performers and audience members, showcasing the daring feats, spectacular outfits, and welcoming atmosphere that make the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo an unmissable experience. In addition to Hasbun's photographs, The New Black West features quotes and stories from the cowboys themselves and a foreword from the Oakland rodeo's regional manager, Jeff Douvel.
A Vibrant Community: The Black rodeo in Oakland is the annual event at the heart of a vibrant community. Couples meet and fall in love at the arena, children eagerly anticipate their turn to compete in the different events—and people travel from all over the area and the country to participate.
An Important Legacy: Named after legendary cowboy and performer, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo honors the often-overlooked legacy of Black cowboys in shaping the American West. Hasbun's book spotlights the contemporary riders and performers who carry on that legacy, inviting them to share their own stories with the world.
A Unique Celebration: Hasbun has been photographing the Black rodeo in Oakland for a decade, and this collection of her work is a loving tribute to the community that kept her coming back year after year. Stories from her conversations with the cowboys and cowgirls bring her images to life, making The New Black West a heartwarming celebration of an iconic cultural event.
Perfect for:
• Black rodeo attendees, fans, and performers
• History buffs and anyone interested in Western cowboy culture
• Lovers of immersive fine-art photography books
"Stirring images... . this work never ceases to demand one's attention." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Hasbun's photographs bring wider attention to the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, which has been showcasing the tradition of Black cowboys and cowgirls in the American West for almost 40 years." ―The New York Times
"A captivating record of Hasbun's appreciation of Black cowboy culture and history, and its contemporary expression." ―San Francisco Chronicle
This information about The New Black West was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
As a photographer specializing in portraits, Gabriela Hasbun's work highlights the marginalized and unexplored communities around her. Growing up in El Salvador during a devastating civil war, Hasbun learned the importance of documenting the humanity in people others have overlooked. Her fundamental belief in the radical power of storytelling has led her to subjects like Black cowboys, fat activists, queer skateboarders, and the people of the Mission district in San Francisco. At the heart of her photography is a celebration of the complexities of identity and the human spirit.
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