Let ’er Buck! George Fletcher, the People’s Champion

In 1911, three men were in the finals of the famed Pendleton Round-Up saddle bronc competition. One was white, one was Indian, and one was black. When the judges declared the white man the winner, the audience was outraged. They named black cowboy George Fletcher the “people’s champion” and took up a collection, ultimately awarding Fletcher far more than the value of the prize that went to the official winner. Award-winning author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson tells the story of Fletcher’s extraordinary triumph with a western flair that will delight kids— and adults— who love true stories, unlikely heroes, and cowboy tales.