91 New Photos Capture Black Rodeo Culture

Photographer Ivan McClellan has released a new edition of his book Eight Seconds: Legacy in Motion, featuring 91 additional photographs of Black cowboy and rodeo culture in the United States. This new edition is an extension of his 2024 project, which aimed to capture the overlooked culture of Black cowboys and cowgirls.

The first edition of McClellan's book Eight Seconds was released in 2024, after he spent nearly a decade photographing Black cowboy and cowgirl culture. His interest in the subject began in 2015, when he attended a rodeo in Oklahoma and was struck by the thousands of Black cowboys and cowgirls he saw, who challenged the traditional white image of the American cowboy.

McClellan's project, Eight Seconds, is named after the time a bull rider must stay mounted to achieve a qualified ride. The project has not only resulted in a book, but also in McClellan organizing his own rodeo, with significant prize money for Black competitors. This effort aims to promote and support Black cowboy and cowgirl culture, which McClellan believes has been overlooked.

## Why it matters The image of the cowboy is deeply ingrained in the American imagination, but for generations, it has been overwhelmingly white. McClellan's work challenges this image, showcasing the diversity and richness of Black cowboy and cowgirl culture. By capturing the lives and stories of Black cowboys and cowgirls, McClellan's project provides a more nuanced understanding of the American West and its history.

McClellan's inspiration for the project came from his childhood in Kansas City, where he knew a man named Mr. Wills, who raised cattle and was Black. However, McClellan never thought to call him a cowboy, as the image on screen and the life around him simply didn't connect. It wasn't until he attended the rodeo in Oklahoma that he saw the connection and began his decade-long obsession with photographing Black cowboy and cowgirl culture.

The release of the new edition of Eight Seconds: Legacy in Motion provides a unique opportunity to explore and learn about the overlooked culture of Black cowboys and cowgirls in the United States. Through McClellan's photographs, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the history, traditions, and lives of Black cowboys and cowgirls, and appreciate the richness and diversity of American culture.