Gallery

Words from our former senior editor for photography

Tarver’s insights into his work

Biography

Moving at a slower pace than in the morning, members of the Anahuyac (pronounced Annie-Whack) Saltgrass Cowboy Association dance to Zydeco after a day of steer-wrestling, calf-roping, and bull-riding at a rodeo in Raywood, Texas. In this region of northeast Texas, African-American ranches dot the landscape. The ranches date back to the Civil War when freed slaves moved west to start a new life. Their descendants host frequent rodeos in small-town arenas, backyards, and ranches. “For many of these folks, it’s a way of life because their dads and granddads were cowboys,” says Tarver.