A weeklong ride on horseback connects Black families with their Texas roots

Mia Johnson, 56, relished the start of the Prairie View pilgrimage that has defined her life for more than half a century. Raised Catholic, she attends church regularly and posts daily online “cowboy prayers.” She was “gung ho” for Donald Trump in 2016 “because I’m from the military, that ‘kick ’em in the butt’ attitude,” though the Army veteran soured on what she perceived as Trump’s mistreatment of veterans. For Mia and many others, the trail ride was about passing on conservative life lessons to the next generation: self-discipline, hard work, perseverance.