by Bruce G. Todd

Texans still talk about Mathew ("Bones") Hooks and his famous ride. In 1910, the forty-two-year-old former cowboy, then working as a Pullman porter (one of the few quality jobs open to black men at that time), stepped off the train during a brief stop, carefully removed his uniform jacket, and proceeded to ride a notoriously wild bronco. To the delight of the large crowd gathered to witness the event, Hooks stayed on the animal's back until it calmed down, then donned his jacket and departed with the train. "The Ride," as it is known throughout the region, would be enough to make Bones Hooks a legend, but it is only one of his accomplishments. Until his death in 1951, Bones Hooks devoted his energies to civic and social improvements in Amarillo. Working with local white leaders, he established a community, a church, and a mentorship program for area blacks. This is the first biography of a man who broke both wild horses and racial barriers.