Mollie Taylor Stevenson Jr. facts for kids
Mollie Taylor Stevenson Scott (also known as Mollie Taylor Stevenson Jr.), born in 1946, is an amazing woman who has dedicated her life to sharing the history of the American West. She is known for being a rancher, a former model, and the founder of the American Cowboy Museum.
Mollie Jr. and her mother, Mollie Taylor Stevenson, made history together. They were the first living African-American women to be honored in the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. This shows how important their work was in the world of cowboys and cowgirls. With her husband, Elicious Scott Jr., Mollie Jr. helped teach many people, especially kids, about Western culture and farming life.
Mollie Jr. also received a special award called the Chester A. Reynolds Memorial Award. She is one of only two women ever to get this honor! She started the American Cowboy Museum on her family's historic Taylor-Stevenson Ranch. This ranch is near Houston, Texas, and has been in her family since 1875. It was bought by her great-grandfather, Edward Ruthven Taylor, and is one of the oldest ranches in the United States owned by an African-American family.
Mollie's Journey and Contributions
Mollie Jr. grew up in Houston, Texas. She finished high school in 1963 and then studied business at Texas Southern University. For about 15 years, she worked as a model. Even with her busy modeling schedule, she always found time to volunteer. She helped with groups like black trail riding and rodeo associations, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Mollie Jr. has been featured in many interviews on radio, TV, and in magazines like Texas Highways, Ebony, and Essence. People often talked about her because she was a woman working in an unusual field for her time. She also helped start several important groups, including committees for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and associations for black cowboys, cowgirls, and landowners.
Life on the Ranch
Mollie Jr. and her family work hard to manage their ranch. They raise horses and cattle, grow hay, and even have oil production on their land. The ranch is a busy place! Mollie often leads tours for children. These tours allow kids to meet and learn about different ranch animals, which is a fun way to experience ranch life firsthand.
The American Cowboy Museum, which Mollie Jr. founded, is located right on her family's ranch. She opened the museum before schools in Texas were racially integrated. Her goal was to give African-American children a chance to experience ranch life. The museum also teaches everyone about the important roles that black people, Hispanic people, Native Americans, and women played in the history of the American West. It helps people understand that the story of the West is much bigger and more diverse than many might think.
