CinemaBlend
After watching
Concrete Cowboy you may be wondering whatâs the deal with the Fletcher Street Stables and the background on the legacy of people riding horses in Philadelphia. Just like some other Idris Elba movies and TV shows, this aspect of the Netflix original is based on a rich and storied history in the âCity of Brotherly Loveâ and has actually played a vital role in the lives of countless urban cowboys for more than a century now.
If youâre wanting to know more about the Fletcher Street Stables, the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, and the fascinating history of the African-American cowboys throughout the city of Philadelphia, then youâve come to the right place. Here are five things to know about the Fletcher Street Stables, its history, and its future after watching the gripping
Horse Riders, a City Street and a History Now Captured on Film
The coming-of-age drama “Concrete Cowboy” is set amid the stables of Philadelphia’s Fletcher Street, a hub for Black equestrians for decades.
Ivannah-Mercedes, left, and Erin Brown are among the local Philadelphia riders who worked on the film. Credit.Aaron Ricketts for The New York Times
On Fletcher Street one summer morning in 2019, Ricky Staub was asked to walk the plank.
For decades, Fletcher Street a slice of North Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion neighborhood had been home to urban horse stables, and a hub for Black equestrians, and Staub had started spending time there after befriending a local rider.
the producers and directors of the newly released Idris Elba movie
Concrete Cowboy.
The Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy (PURA) was founded to preserve the culture of black urban cowboys in the city, with the new facility providing a space to experience horses up close and personal. It started a new fundraising campaign ahead of the movie launch on April 2, and hopes to bring in $US2 million for a new, permanent facility.
This will provide stabling for 20 to 25 horses, paddocks, an indoor and an outdoor arena, as well as recreational space for other youth and veteran programs. Every dollar raised will be put towards the facility and the horses and students who will call it home.
April 1, 2021 Share
Historians estimate that 1 in 4 American cowboys were Black but you would be hard pressed to find a movie genre whiter than the Western. “Concrete Cowboy,” an urban Western about African American riders in Philadelphia starring Idris Elba, is about an often unseen and persisting Black cowboy culture.
“Concrete Cowboy” is a father-son drama set around Fletcher Street Stables, one of the oldest and last-remaining of Philadelphia’s hardscrabble inner-city stables. It dates back more than 100 years to when horse-drawn wagons were used to deliver produce, laundry and milk. But through tenacity and improvisation, Fletcher Street has remained a cherished refuge and an ardent pastime for both kids and adults on the streets of Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion.
Concrete Cowboy (2021).
Netflix
Philadelphia holds the distinction of being called “the city of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.” The city is surrounded by historical significance, cultural landmarks, and ethnic diversity. But one of Philadelphia’s best-kept secrets is the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a horse stable for urban youth riders and home to a thriving community of Black cowboys that have been in existence here for more than a century. It’s the mission of the club to promote horsemanship within the inner-city, provide equine therapy, and encourage academic excellence in the city s Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. Against all odds, and despite constant gentrification, Philadelphia s Black cowboys have made a home for themselves, their prized horses, and the preservation of their way of life for more than 100 years.