The Bass Reeves Gun Club And The Rise Of Black Gun Ownership

In 2015, Philip Smith founded the National African American Gun Association (NAAGA) with a mission to educate, empower, and encourage African Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights through responsible firearm ownership, safety training, and self-defense education. More than a decade later, that mission has grown into a nationwide organization with more than 100 chapters across the United States. NewsOne visited the Bass Reeves Gun Club, Inc. (BRGC), the metro Atlanta founding chapter of NAAGA, to speak with members about responsible gun ownership, self-defense, and how they are honoring the legacy of legendary lawman Bass Reeves.

Reeves was one of the first Black deputy U.S. marshals west of the Mississippi River. He served for 32 years in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, and became known for his exceptional marksmanship with both a pistol and rifle, as well as his fearless pursuit of outlaws.

What is the Bass Reeves Gun Club?

Carrying his profound history forward, the Bass Reeves Gun Club describes itself as a pro-Second Amendment community of responsibly armed citizens committed to promoting firearms safety, education, proficiency, and the shooting sports.

Larry Brown Jr., president of the Bass Reeves Gun Club, told NewsOne the organization is helping reshape perceptions of who today’s gun owners are.

“Sometimes these ranges, these areas, don’t necessarily represent us in the initial onset,” Brown explained. “We’ve created that space, though, where you see a group of your peers out here doing what you’re doing, doing what you want to do, and [it] creates that kind of home feeling.”

Brown said the club provides an environment where people of all backgrounds and experience levels can learn safely while building confidence alongside a supportive community.

Black women are quickly becoming the fastest-growing group of gun owners.

One female member said she decided to become a gun owner after experiencing multiple break-ins and being “propositioned inappropriately by two young teenage boys” near her East Atlanta home. Those experiences motivated her to learn everything she could about self-defense and responsible firearm ownership.

She also believes many people’s assumptions about gun owners no longer reflect reality.

“They think a typical gun owner is a white male, and that’s just not true anymore. Like most firearms over the last few years have been bought by younger Black women,” she explained.

Notably, between 2019 and 2020, gun purchases among African American men and women spiked by more than 58%. In fact, in 2021, Black women made up nearly one-third of all first-time gun buyers and they are slowly becoming one of the fastest growing groups of gun owners.

The BRGC member said people are often surprised when they learn she is a dedicated firearm owner and trains regularly.

“Everybody’s shocked because I’m kind of prissy,” she continued. “And so when people find out that I’m a very serious gun owner, that I train regularly, that I’m very comfortable with firearms, they’re always surprised because I wear lots of dresses and lip glosses, and I keep my nails done, and I just don’t look like what people think a gun owner looks like. I’ve been shooting since 2017.”

For Stephanie Purdy, who joined the BRGC in 2019, the organization became more than a place to learn about firearms. It also helped her grow personally.

“I’m really shy and this was one of the few places that I could just come out of my shell and just be me,” she said.

What does the Bass Reeves Gun Club offer?

Today, the Bass Reeves Gun Club offers a wide range of training programs, including concealed carry instruction, defensive rifle courses, firearms fundamentals, and advanced skills training.

Its members range from first-time gun owners to experienced shooters, military veterans, law enforcement officers, and longtime firearms enthusiasts. Club leaders say the goal is to ensure every member understands how to safely own, store, and use a firearm while developing the skills needed to protect themselves and their families.

For many members, responsible gun ownership also brings peace of mind. Surveys have found that many gun owners say owning a firearm makes them feel safer.

The legacy of Bass Reeves.

Colin S. Mapp, NAAGA’s Director of Chapter Leadership, said members take enormous pride in carrying on Bass Reeves’ legacy.

According to the National Park Service, Reeves was born into slavery in Texas before escaping during the Civil War. He lived in Indian Territory, where he learned several Native American languages and later became one of the most respected deputy U.S. marshals of the Old West.

Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds, Reeves earned a reputation as an expert marksman with both pistols and rifles. He was also known for disguising himself to gather intelligence and capture fugitives that other lawmen could not.

“He was very proficient with pistols and rifles; he was a hunter, and he also built bridges in the community,” Mapp explained. “He knew five Indian dialects. He freed himself from enslavement, and so you know we have a lot of pride in him as a historical figure in the Black tradition of arms.”

Throughout his decades in law enforcement, Reeves survived numerous gunfights without ever being wounded. He said he killed 14 men in self-defense, although newspaper accounts at the time of his death reported the number was higher. In a 1901 interview with a territorial newspaper, Reeves said he had arrested more than 3,000 men and women for violating federal law in Indian Territory, one of the most dangerous regions for federal law enforcement officers during the American frontier era.

For members of the Bass Reeves Gun Club, his story represents more than history. They say his legacy continues to inspire a new generation committed to responsible firearm ownership, education, and service to their communities.

SEE MORE:

An HBCU Student Goes To Class And Then The Gun Range: Here’s Why

Why Is Gun Ownership Soaring In The Black Community?