Louisiana Trail Riders

While riding my motorcycle in rural South Louisiana, I encountered a large group of people riding horseback. They commanded the road, and I pulled over for them to pass. I retrieved my camera from the saddlebag of my bike and took a few photographs as they rode by. A gentleman near the end of the procession waved, encouraging me to join. So began my ride with the African American trail-riding clubs. I grew up in Kansas and had a particular image of a cowboy shaped by popular culture. They were gruff, serious, white, and situated in the West. The trail riders in Louisiana are a stark contrast to most depictions of cowboys, offering a radically different vantage point to consider images of the West and acknowledging that black equestrian culture stems from a time when the American West was Louisiana Territory. In the unique region of prairie grasslands divided by water in Southwest Louisiana, a population of Frenchmen, Native Americans, and Free People of Color took root becoming the Creole culture of today. Horsemanship became a common way of life. According to folklorist Connie Castille, “for many of Louisiana’s black men, the horse is still associated with freedom, independence, work and respect.” My photographs assert a counter-narrative to historic representations of the cowboy and prevailing images of difference and despair in Black America. I embarked on this project at the time of the 50th anniversary of many of the achievements of the civil-rights era, yet I saw few positive images of African-Americans in media. In the wake of the Trayvon Martin killing, violence and indifference to the value of young black lives has been brought to the national spotlight in incidents across the country, including my city, Baton Rouge, following the tragic death of Alton Sterling in 2016. In the context of this national backdrop, my photographs depict joy, pride, and familial intimacy, particularly between fathers and sons who are taught to care for and ride horses from an early age. Since 2014, I’ve been photographing weekend trail rides across South Louisiana. Some of Louisiana’s Trail Riding Clubs include, Crescent City Cowboys, Desperados, Buffalo Soldiers, and The Stepping In Style Riding Club. I’m drawn to the cross-generations of people, the mix of rural and urban sensibilities, and the zydeco music that provides an-ongoing soundtrack to the events. Since 2014 I’ve been photographing weekend trail rides across South Louisiana creating a body of work for exhibition and publication that reflects the Creole culture and the celebratory spirit of the rides.