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Myrtis
Dightman has finally received the attention he should have had decades ago.
Born in Crockett in 1935, Dightman
was a legendary bull rider who set all types of records for riding raging bulls
in rodeo arenas across the United States.
On May 13, the people of Crockett
gathered in front of the Porth Agricultural Arena to witness the unveiling of
a statue of Dightman. Acclaimed sculptress Paula Devreaux captured the
spirit and soul of Dightman.
The Texas bull rider was not
only the first black cowboy to go to the National Rodeo Finals, but he did it
seven times.
He was also the first living black cowboy to be inducted into
the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall
of Fame, the Professional Bull Riders Ring of Honor, and the Texas Cowboy Hall
of Fame.
“This dedication and desire, coupled with talent, made
Myrtis’ dream come true and helped to pave the way for others who wanted to realize
their dreams,” said a friend.
Dightman endured insults and prejudice as
a black bull rider, but he made the nation take notice when he finished eighth
in the world standings of bull riders.
In Oklahoma City, he just missed
placing in the first round and didn’t have a score in the next two rounds. But
in the eighth round, it was Dightman’s time to shine. The crowd was stunned to
see a black cowboy tie for the best ride in the final round of the rodeo’s most
dangerous event.
Over the years, Dightman endured death threats, beatings,
corrupt rodeo judges and promoters who wouldn’t let him compete in front of white
spectators, stock contractors who assigned to him the meanest bulls, and other
forms of abuse during his career.
Even when he went home to Crockett
to ride in a rodeo, the promoters wouldn’t let him ride until the crowd had left
the arena. He rode a bull that had not been ridden before, and won the bull riding
event.
“I went to a lot of rodeos where they held me to the last, but it
didn’t make a difference because I usually won anyway.” he remembered.
Frequently turned away from motels and restaurants, Dightman lived out of his
old Chevrolet during his rodeo years.
In 1972, Dightman qualified for
his sixth and final National Rodeo Finals.
When Dightman asked a longtime
white rodeo rider what it would take to win a world title, Freckles Brown told
him: “Keep riding like you’ve been riding, and turn white.”
In 1997, Dightman
became the first living black cowboy inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of
Fame in Oklahoma City.
Bob
Bowman's East Texas
June 5, 2011 Column.
A weekly column syndicated in 109 East Texas newspapers
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