Southlake Historical Society President Connie Cooley recently traveled to the Witte Museum in San Antonio for the opening of the 'Black Cowboys: An American Story' exhibit. This exhibit now includes rancher Bob Jones, recognizing his significant contributions to Southlake's history and American cowboy heritage.

The museum learned about Bob Jones from Tracy Watts of San Antonio, a descendant of Jones. Watts approached Ron Davis II, Curator of American History, and said, “Let me tell you about my family…” The Southlake Historical Society provided documentation and other details to Davis, who expressed interest and enjoyment in their exhibit.

The important information offered by the Historical Society helps to highlight the incredible life of rancher Bob Jones, showcasing his dedication to education, perseverance, and passion for ranching that impacted generations to come. His legacy is indeed worthy of attention, and the Witte Museum seemed to agree.

“After learning about Bob and Almeady Jones—their leadership in the community, the growth of their ranch and the important role they played in educating Black students—we knew that the history needed to be brought to a wider audience,” Davis said. “The Witte created ‘Black Cowboys: An American Story’ to honor the lives and legacies of Black cowboys and cowgirls across Texas; the Jones family, rightly, is part of that story.”

More About the Bob Jones Family

This is the most recent recognition of the Bob Jones Family. Learn more about Bob and Almeady Chisum Jones by visiting the exhibit’s page. For this exhibit, the Historical Society earned the Texas Historical Commission’s Award of Excellence in Preserving History and the American Association for State and Local History’s Leadership in History award. If you can, also make the trek to San Antonio to view “Black Cowboys: An American Story.” The exhibit runs at the Witte through Feb. 9, 2025.