Black cowboys are capturing the spotlight in the mainstream Black community, as audiences discover a rural history that has long been overlooked—ever since the first cowboy movies, films, and books. Beyoncé’s Cowboy Cater Tour, Jordan Peele’s High Horse, and films like Concrete Cowboys and The Harder They Fall, starring Idris Elba, have brought this community into focus, giving long-overdue recognition to Black cowboys.

While these high-profile projects shine a glamorous light, they often leave out the deeper, nuanced stories. That’s where grassroots filmmakers step in—independent storytellers driven by passion rather than profit. With smaller budgets but bigger attention to detail, indie films have the freedom to fill the gaps, capturing the rich, authentic lives of a community that history has too often ignored.

The short film Pony Express – Let’s Ride follows the Bagby family of Preston, Oklahoma, just a 15-minute drive from the historically rich Native and cowboy town of Okmulgee. Streaming now on TheBlackCowboy.com, this observational, unscripted film—a mix of reality TV and documentary—gives you an intimate look inside a Black cowboy family, bringing audiences into the real life of Black cowboys and cowgirls.

“It’s an unconventional, unplanned film,” says director Charles W. Perry. “I came to Okmulgee to film a documentary about the Black Rodeo. It was supposed to be a 1-2 year project. But as an independent filmmaker passionate about telling the true stories of African Americans outside of corporate dollars, that 2-year project turned into a 10-year passion project about Black cowboys.”

Perry continues, “Funding for filmmakers like me came from crowdfunding and grants. When that money ran out, I had to max out credit cards and move to Tulsa, Oklahoma, just to make sure I could keep my commitments to the people who supported me. I knew I couldn’t keep asking for funds without delivering, and I couldn’t imagine not finishing what I promised. So I decided to live there.”

Watching this film, which flows in such a unique way, leaves you wondering why we all know about white cowboys—but not Black or Mexican cowboys. For the people who live in these communities, it’s a way of life—nothing new. But for those outside, it quickly becomes clear: the people who control what we watch also control what we know.

Perry explains, “It’s why I never knew about this life. As a child, I often wondered—if I had known, maybe I would have become a cowboy instead of a filmmaker. The Bagby family reminds me of my own family.”

Perry grew up in Los Angeles. “The Bagbys took me in as their own, giving me profound comfort, peace, and feeding not just my stomach, but my soul. With the recent passing of my grandmother, who helped raise me, I got a second chance to receive love from someone I call Grandma Bagby. I’m grateful to have documented the Bagbys in this way—on a personal, caring level, not just as a project. My hope is that this small film will live on for future generations, showing that Black Americans were cowboys who did some of the hardest work, and that families like the Bagbys not only represent this truth, they prove it.”