May 8: A Relic of Barbarism

In 1883, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West went on tour. The show combined theater, circus, and rodeo. It was inspired by Cody’s experiences as a Pony Express rider and Army scout, and it romanticized an American West that was already disappearing. Spectators flocked to the show, which included a buffalo herd, sharpshooter Annie Oakley, and reenactments of stagecoach robberies. It also featured a band of Native Americans, including Chief Sitting Bull. The Native performers welcomed the chance to leave the reservation and return to riding, and they were paid as well as the white performers.

You can listen to May 8: A Relic of Barbarism online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

May 8: A Relic of Barbarism is an episode from Dakota Datebook by Prairie Public Broadcasting.

This episode is 2:58 long.

This episode was published on May 8, 2026.

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