The Wild West we were taught to imagine — white hats, saloons, and sheriffs — has always left something (and someone) out. But Jordan Peele and his production company Monkeypaw Productions are pulling back the curtain on the real cowboys who shaped the frontier in High Horse: The Black Cowboy, premiering Thursday, November 20 on Peacock. The streamer has also dropped the first trailer, giving a glimpse into a story that blends culture, history, and rhythm.
The three-part docuseries explores the overlooked truth of the Wild West — that Black cowboys and cowgirls weren’t side characters, but the backbone of the movement that defined the American frontier.
“Their history is inseparable from the story of our country,” says Peele, who serves as executive producer. “This project aims to honor and celebrate their lasting legacy.”
High Horse brings together an impressive mix of cultural voices including Pam Grier, Bun B, Lori Harvey, Rick Ross, Tina Knowles, Glynn Turman, Blanco Brown, INK, Lynae Vanee, The Compton Cowboys, and Peele himself — all reflecting on how Black equestrian culture continues to shape identity, artistry, and pride.
Directed by Jason Perez and set to an original score by Raphael Saadiq, the series is both visually rich and deeply soulful — part history lesson, part cultural celebration.
The project is executive produced by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Keisha Senter, Jamal Watson, Mari Keiko Gonzalez, Liz Yale Marsh, Kadine Anckle, Tom Casciato, Sacha Jenkins, and Keith McQuirter, and produced by Monkeypaw Productions and Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.
This November, High Horse: The Black Cowboy invites viewers to saddle up for the truth — the Black cowboy was never a myth, just missing from the story we were told.