(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) – Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston unveiled a portrait of historical figure and famous Arkansan Bass Reeves at the Arkansas State Capitol on Wednesday, December 18th.
In cooperation with Secretary of State John Thurston, the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith specially commissioned this portrait of Bass Reeves, Deputy United States Marshal. The portrait, painted by artist James Loveless, can be viewed in the first floor rotunda, along with a special historical exhibit put together by our Capitol curators.
The legend of Bass Reeves has grown in recent years with books, movies, and television shows bringing his dynamic life story into popular culture. Reeves will be the first non-governor and the first African-American to have an official portrait hanging in the Arkansas State Capitol.
"I am excited to unveil this work of art, showcasing an Arkansas legend in a place of honor in our state's Capitol," said Thurston. "His is a chapter of American history that many may not know."
Special Thanks to the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and others for their financial support of this portrait.
About Bass Reeves
Born ca. 1840; Died January 12, 1910
- U.S. Marshal – Western District of Arkansas
- Police Officer – Muskogee, Oklahoma
- Served over 30 years as a law enforcement officer
- He served his nation with distinction and bravery
Bass Reeves is today considered one of the most widely recognized and prolific deputy U.S. Marshals of the 1800s. Born into slavery around 1840 in Crawford County, Arkansas, Reeves’s extraordinary reputation during his long career made him a legendary figure in law enforcement history.
Following the end of the American Civil War, Reeves, who was familiar with several Native American languages and customs, worked as a scout and tracker in Indian Territory for the Federal court system. Reeves became one of the first Black U.S. Deputy Marshals west of the Mississippi River in the mid-1870s when he was commissioned as a U.S. Deputy Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas in Fort Smith, although there is no official record of his initial appointment. His first documented Oath of Office was taken on May 29, 1889.
Reeves was assigned to serve the Eastern District of Texas from 1893 until 1897. That year, he was transferred again to the northern district of Indian Territory, taking another Oath of Office on April 1, 1898, in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
After Oklahoma gained statehood in 1907, Reeves retired from federal service and became a police officer in Muskogee, where he continued to serve until his death on January 12, 1910. He is believed to be buried in the Harding Memorial Cemetery in Muskogee.
