deadCenter Film Festival Features Movie On Oklahoma Black Cowboy

The film “Riding Legacy” is all about the black cowboy in Oklahoma, from the past to the future, and it can be seen this weekend at the deadCenter film festival 2023.

“When you look at westerns on TV, you don’t see a bunch of black cowboys, all they talk about is the white cowboy and the Indian,” said professional rodeo rider Tory Johnson.

That lack of representation was the inspiration for film maker Kian Taylor.

“”Riding Legacy” is about the past, present and future of the Oklahoma black cowboy community,” said Director Kian Taylor.

The black cowboy community isn’t new.

“This community has existed and goes all the way back to the eighteen hundreds,” said Taylor.

“We talk about the cowboys that came out of Boley, we talk about the cowboys that come out of Okmulgee, even here in Spencer, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City area,” said Taylor.  

For the movie, Taylor wanted to show all aspects of the black cowboy, from those in the local circuit to those riding professionally.

Tory Johnson is an eight-time world champion in the Bill Pickett Association, and has many awards.

“The Texas Cowboy Rodeo Association, I’m a three-time back-to-back champion, United rodeo champion,” said Johnson.

For Johnson, who is also a student of the Oklahoma cowboy, this film was a long time coming.

“It was a lot of things that was left out that, I feel that this documentary that’s going around now that’s being said now and being shown,” said Johnson.

Johnson was honored to be a part of the movie, but insisted this movie is not just about him.

“Dannell Tipton, he was a world champion, Ronnie Fields, a world champion, Clarence LeBlanc from Okmulgee, he was a world champion,” said Johnson.

Everyone involved with the movie hopes that it will inspire its audiences.

“But I also want to see that younger generation, be able to stand in some shoes, like myself and say that they got to do things that they wanted to do in life,” said Johnson.

“Everyone that watches this film leaves just feeling inspired, feeling some pride especially coming out of Oklahoma that this is ours,” said Taylor.

Now there are two show times for the movie this weekend at the deadCenter film festival. For a complete list of film times and locations, visit www.deadcenterfilm.org.