Ron Tarver

Black Cowboys are having a moment with Beyone’s Cowboy Carter, Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton American Western FW24 Collection and David Oyelowo's Lawmen: Bass Reeves. The trending subject is nothing new for photographer Ron Tarver who grew up up Oklahoma. Black cowboys were an ordinary part of his life. Tarver himself rode horses, went to rodeos, spent summer days on his cousin's ranch, or working on local farms. His grandfather, Thomas Wilson, was a working cowboy in the 1940s.

When Tarver moved to Philadelphia in 1983, he was surprised by how uninformed people were about Black cowboys. The revelation spurred his dedication to photographing Black cowboy culture, including on assignments for National Geographic and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Now Tarver has published The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America. (George F. Thompson Publishing, 2024). From ranches to city streets, Tarver’s photographs reveal the beauty, romance, and visual poetry of Black cowboys throughout the country. The book sold out in less than one month. We’ll talk with Tarver about his new book, photography in the age of ai and alternative facts.