Artist: Preston Jackson

Bass Reeves was an American police officer and the first Black Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi River. He escaped enslavement during the Civil War and found refuge in the Indian Territory that would later become Oklahoma.  As a farmer in Arkansas in 1875, his ability with firearms, excellent horsemanship, and knowledge of the surroundings earned him a job as a U.S. Marshal. At 6’2″ tall and 180 pounds he was an imposing figure, but was known to be a polite and honorable man. After Oklahoma became a state in 1907, he served as a local police officer.   In 2024, his portrait was unveiled in the Arkansas State Capitol, making Reeves the first African American to have an official portrait on display in that building.