Cowboys are so often depicted like John Wayne—meaning, as a white man on a horse. For a long time, this representation has overshadowed the existence, and importance, of Black cowboys, but in the 19th century, an estimated one in four cowboys was Black. They were often barred from competing against white riders, and went on to form their own rodeos—yet to this day, Black rodeos continue to thrive.
For photographer Ivan McClellan, the Roy LeBlanc Invitational in Oklahoma was a mesmerizing introduction to Black rodeo culture in 2015. He was invited by Charles Perry, director and producer of the documentary The Black Cowboy, and had no idea what to expect. He was instantly hooked. “I really thought I was going to go to that first rodeo and be done,” says McClellan. “But what I saw there, the fashion, the merging of cultures, hip-hop and Western culture and church culture all smashing into each other in a really elegant way, the people that I met, how friendly and open they were, all prompted me to go back again.”
He’s been traveling the circuit ever since, documenting the overlooked stories of Black riders in North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Texas—where I grew up barrel racing in local rodeos. He even founded the Eight Seconds Juneteenth Rodeo in Portland, Oregon, where he lives with his family (it returns for its second year on June 16, 2024; in a venue three times larger than last time, due to demand). The name is a nod to the “eight seconds” which is historically the amount of time a rider must remain on a wildly bucking bull, holding onto the rope without touching the animal or the ground, in order to qualify for a score.
Now, his ongoing study of Black rodeo culture has culminated in a new form: McClellan’s new photography book, Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture. Out April 30, it’s full of images that evoke a bygone era on the open range, but also manages to feel very contemporary. The sport itself has been around a long time, after all—but the Nike tees, sparkling earrings, and Black hairstyles reflect modern tastes, and the faces of those on horseback and in the crowd are increasingly young.
Below, McClellan tells us about his memories behind the photos in his brand new book.
