Black Men and Women Who Should Get Their Own Movies
5 Black Trailblazers Who Deserve Their Own Biopics
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While James Beckwourth's life could be a wonderful film, it could also be a miniseries, because the stories surrounding him are epic. From what we know, Beckwourth was born into slavery and was the son a Virginia slave owner, although he was eventually given his freedom. In 1824, he was looking for a future and found it in the West, becoming a famous mountain man by exploring the Rocky Mountains and Wyoming. He also lived with the Absaroka (commonly referred to as Crow) people for about six years, learning their language. On the personal side, according to trapper Zenas Leonard, Beckwourth allegedly married four wives. He is also believed to have discovered a route through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which is now called Beckwourth Pass.
Prior to the First Transcontinental Railroad, many travellers used it to enter California. He was also a veteran, participating in the Seminole Wars. Beckwourth's tall tales are sometimes hard to prove, but it creates a legend around him often denied to Black historical figures. We all need legends to love, and James Beckwourth's story is worthy of telling with all the fur trappings and Old West shenanigans that came with it.