The Legacy of Black Horsemen

Explore the stories and contributions of Black jockeys, trainers, owners, grooms and exercise riders in the 1800s who persevered through enslavement, the outbreak of the Civil War, segregation and Jim Crow laws and were instrumental in laying the foundation of the Thoroughbred industry in America. This program is funded in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

Season 1 Episode 2 Length 57:28 Premiere: 11/20/23

About

The Legacy of Black Horsemen, an hour-long historical documentary, tells the stories of Black jockeys, trainers, owners, grooms, and exercisers in the 1800s whose contributions helped lay the foundation for the Thoroughbred industry. It is an era that paralleled slavery, the outbreak of the Civil War, and the ensuing segregation and Jim Crow laws that generations would face and overcome to be successful. Utilizing contemporary interviews, reenactments, historical photographs and paintings, the film highlights the Black horsemen who were instrumental in making Thoroughbred racing America’s first national pastime. The program is funded in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

The image of the painting First Futurity by L. Maurer appears courtesy of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

The program is funded in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.