Ben Palmer: Black Pioneers on the Frontier

by John L. Smith

Overview

The Fields of Silver and Gold series brings the past alive. Meet the trailblazers and the pioneers, the first people and the famous explorers, the legends and the everyday heroes that shaped the history, land, and culture of the West. Their powerful stories will fascinate and inspire you.

Rancher. Statesman. Groundbreaker.

From slavery to respected community leader, Ben Palmer lived the dream of Black pioneers during Reconstruction. As a prosperous rancher known for introducing the Bonner horse to Nevada, Palmer was widely admired for his honesty, intelligence, and generosity. Overcoming racism to serve an active role in politics, Palmer was the first Black person to serve on a US District Court jury in Nevada and to be elected as a state convention delegate.

Lexile: 1200L

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781953055194
Publisher:	Keystone Canyon Press
Publication date:	04/21/2021
Series:	Fields of Silver and Gold , #4
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	80
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Native Nevadan John L. Smith is a longtime journalist and the author of more than a dozen books. He has won many state, regional, and national awards for his writing and was inducted into the Nevada Press Association Hall of Fame in 2016, the same year that saw him honored with the James Foley/Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism, the Society of Professional Journalists Ethics Award, and the Ancil Payne Award from the University of Oregon. He freelances for a variety of publications, including The Nevada Independent. The father of a grown daughter, Amelia, he is married to the writer Sally Denton and makes his home in Boulder City, Nevada.

Table of Contents

Author's Note   vi

Timeline   vii

Map of Northern Nevada/California   ix

1. A Mystery in Mottsville   1
2. From the South Santee to the Carson Valley?   9
3. The Way West   15
4. Finding Opportunity in Virginia City   23
5. Tall in the Saddle   31
6. Cattle Drive!   39
7. Taking in the Races   45
8. A Life in Public, and Politics   49
9. A Pioneer Legacy on the Long Road to Equality   55

Glossary   61

Key Characters   63

Selected Bibliography and Further Reading   65

Questions for Discussion   67

About the Author   69

Editorial Reviews

Ben Palmer: Black Pioneers on the Frontier by John L. Smith offers a clearer picture of the character, accomplishments, challenges, and personality of Ben Palmer. This book presents, in a tangible way, the social and political environment in which Ben Palmer, his family, and other African American trail blazers thrived in Nevada during the mid 1800's. I feel this is a great introduction of African American history in Northern Nevada and I encourage folks to dig deeper into this subject.

- Demetrice Dalton, Our Story, Inc.

From the Publisher