They look the TV cowboys that a generation of baby boomers grew up with. They wear the big cowboys hats, just like Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger. They ride bucking broncos, quarter horses and palominos. Some carry lariats and are not a bit shy about perf
Only one thing is different. These cowboys are black. Each day they gather at stables tucked away on the border of Brooklyn and Queens. The Federation of Black Cowboys, one of the city's hidden treasures, is preserving a bit of American history of which few people are aware. Despite the efforts of many educators to fill in the racial gaps in American history, we doubt that many children are aware of the role played by black cowboys in taming the West.
The Federation stresses that one-fourth of America's cowboys were black men. They rode and roped and branded, but when the history books were written and the Westerns were filmed, these cowboys were left out.
Each year the Federation stages the Rodeo-Showdeo at Cedar Lanes Stables on the Conduit in Howard Beach. Children lucky enough to attend learn about a piece of history that has long been neglected. The cowboys at this corral know all about the black cowboys of yesteryear.
But this stable is not a museum. These guys are the real deal. They may work 9 to 5 in some office, but when they arrive at the stables they trade their wingtips for boots and spurs. They are cowboys, tucked away on a piece of city-owned property in Howard Beach.
The cowboys are eager to share their love for horses and the traditions of the West with children from surrounding neighborhoods. In an age of computers and video games, this is a chance for an experience that isn’t virtual.
The power broker
Who says the office of the borough president is purely ceremonial?
Sure, that's how it looks in the City Charter. But don’t tell Claire Shulman that. With only six months left before she is forced out of office by term limits, Shulman continues to show how powerful her position can be.
In a meeting last week with the TimesLedger, Shulman said that she is close to a deal that will resolve the controversy surrounding the generators that the New York Power Authority is building on Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City.
Shulman said that the NYPA has agreed to close that facility when a larger power plant goes on line in Astoria in 2004. She is confident that his will satisfy all parties involved, including the Silver Cup Studios, which said the Long Island City generators may prevent the studio from expanding.
Brokering a deal with the NYPA was no small accomplishment. This spring the NYPA installed 10 new generators in New York City. There was not one neighborhood where these generators were welcome. Nobody wants a generator, even a clean-burning generator, in his or her backyard. Further complicating matters, the NYPA did not consult with the borough before choosing a site. Hearings held late in the process were pure window dressing.
Shulman knew that the generators are needed to prevent brownouts and power failures like those afflicting California. Using her diplomatic skills, she has arrived at what appears to be the best possible deal for the people of Queens.
Once again this soft-spoken woman has demonstrated how very powerful her office can be.
