Six-month cross-country ride emphasizes Black contributions to America
11:52 a.m. Monday, March 31, 2008
One man is making a cross-country ride on horseback. It is a journey of passion that hopes to raise awareness about lesser known facts in black history.
It is a daily ritual that began six months ago. Six months and some 6,000 miles ago, Miles Dean began his journey in New York. He has traveled through a long and winding cross-country road.
"Hopefully people will embrace and learn more about the contributions of African Americans in general to the expansion and settlement of this country."
Miles Dean is a 58-year-old school teacher from New Jersey. His cross-country horseback ride is not just about black cowboys. He wants more people to learn about this country's African heritage.
"I've covered history that began when the black conquistadors came to this country in the 1500s with Vasco de Gama and Cortez and sailed with Columbus," Dean said.
The journey is documented on the group's black riders heritage website as well as by meeting people on the road.
Dean has a team to help him out. And they are all equally passionate about the cause.
"Just to see children's eyes light up when they see a horse. Even the senior citizens. Just to come up and feel a horse makes my heart feel real good," wrangler Lyndell Johnson said.
Dean actually has two horses accompanying him on this cross-country trip: Sankosha and Sonny. He rotates them every 15 miles.
"It's fun. It's dangerous. It's entertaining. It's historical. It's a lot of everything, I don't know if I'll ever do this journey again. It's been a tough six months out here" Dean said. "I'm a horseman. i take my hat off to cowboys."
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