Book excerpt: Bruce Todd chronicles the life of Matthew 'Bones' Hooks, who broke down racial barriers as one of the first black cowboys to work with whites as a ranch hand, and who used his uncommon charm to gain the support of the wealthy to provide resources for the poor. Born in northeast Texas in 1867, Matthew "Bones" Hooks was a true pioneer who not only built a town, schools, and churches, but also broke down racial barriers as one of the first black cowboys to work alongside whites as a ranch hand. His is the seldom-heard story of how blacks pioneered the American West.