A three-part series about Will Rogers, which starts in the American Cowboy March/April issue now on the newsstand, is a boost for Oklahoma tourism and the Will Rogers Museums in Claremore and Oologah.
Former Will Rogers Museums executive director Joe Carter was asked to do the series for the slick finish, colorful magazine which boasts more than a quarter million readers in 50 countries.
The series starts with Will Rogers’ performance in New York’s Madison Square Garden when a steer chased by Lucille Mulhall ran into the stands and was roped by Will, then a 25-year-old Wild West Show performer.
The first installment tells about his young life on his father’s Indian Territory ranch, attending boarding schools and leaving home to work cattle in Argentina, where he couldn’t even speak the language. This experience eventually led to appearances in a Wild West Show and the start of his long and colorful career.
The four-page feature contains pictures of Will’s parents andWill in his early career days.
Jesse Mullins Jr., editor, wrote an introduction of Carter, who was asked to do a profile on Will in the November-December 2004 issue, which led to Mullins Nov. 4 visit to Claremore. There is a photo of Carter with Will Rogers’ grandson Chuck Rogers and great-grandson James Rogers, son of Kem.
The issue also previews the Will Rogers Wild West International Expo coming to Claremore April 20-22.
American Cowboy, launched in 1994, was honored at the National Finals Rodeo by Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as the “Best in Print Journalism Award” for 2005.
Issues of the magazine are on newsstands everywhere and at the Will Rogers Museum gift shop.