Monday, October 4, 2021, 11:30 AM – 1 PM EDT

Denise Raynor, Professor Emerita, School of Medicine, and Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology, Emory College

“Unmasking the Masked Man:  The Real Lone Ranger”

We all remember. A white hat. A white horse. And, of course, a white man. But, as Denise Raynor will explain today, referencing the research she’s done for a book she’s preparing for Young Adult readers, the real Lone Ranger was the first Black US Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi.  The remarkable Bass Reeves rose from slavery to become one of the most effective lawmen in history, arresting more than 3000 in the course of his long career, including one of his own sons (who had murdered his wife). He had courage and physical prowess to spare. But he was also cunning and inventive, using his skin color along with his wits to outsmart law-breakers and bring them to justice. And he managed to look good while doing so. A stickler about his appearance, he also used his style to win friends and strike terror in the hearts of foes. He was, indeed, a legend in his own time—and it’s past time we came to celebrate him as the model for a legend of our own.