Tracing a route African American pioneer James P. Beckwourth blazed over the Sierra Nevada is one way to appreciate his exploits. Right now, much of this route is snowbound. However, in late spring ...

James Pierson Beckwourth is a pioneer of the American West largely erased from history lessons. Recovering his story, however, can help us to better understand current debates over historical revision ...

Trapper, explorer, Indian war-chief, Army scout, barkeep, trader, horse-thief, gold miner, mounted courier, gambler, trailblazer -- the resume of African American mountain man James Pierson Beckwourth ...

The story of the American West is often told through the lens of explorers, trappers, scouts and settlers of European descent. Often overlooked are the experiences of 19th-century Black Americans who ...

One of the pioneers Beckwourth guided along the trail, Ina Coolbrith, described him in 1851 as "one of the most beautiful creatures that every lived. He was rather dark and wore his hair in two long ...