Murphy Darden’s son, Rickie Darden, stands before the mourners gathered at Bible Baptist Church in the Westwood neighborhood.
The younger Darden shares a story of his late father’s attempt to make cornbread and the chaos that ensued when it burned.
"The fire alarm starts going off...the dogs start barking, dad starts coughing," Darden said.
Rickie Darden said this while wearing a cowboy hat and bolo tie, in tribute to his father's interest in cowboys, which he expressed in many forms of art.
One of Darden’s favorites was Bill Pickett, a legendary late 19th century rodeo performer.
His story spurred Darden to teach Black history across Michigan, and inspired him as an artist and collector.
“And from the black cowboys began slaves on horses. I began to collect buffalo soldiers, getting the history of buffalo soldiers,” Darden said in a 2015 interview on WMUK.
"Buffalo soldier" was the name given to those who served in all-Black regiments in the United States Army on the western frontier during the 19th century.
“All of this history that I didn’t learn in school because Mississippi school— back then we didn’t learn a lot about Black history." Darden said.
Murphy Darden was born in Mississippi in 1928 and began drawing as a child.
He moved to Kalamazoo in 1948, further honing his art skills while working to support his family.
Encore Magazine reported in 2019 that learning about Black cowboy Bill Pickett led Darden to become an educator.
Kalamazoo poet and playwright Buddy Hannah traveled across the state with Darden to teach students the African-American frontier history that often went untaught.
Hannah said many of the students, and even some of the faculty, had never heard of figures like Mary Fields.
Better known as Stagecoach Mary, Fields broke barriers delivering mail on a tough route in Montana.
“What he did in terms of bringing, making people aware of this important side of history — man, you can't put money on that,” Hannah said.
According to Hannah, the students were entranced by the man who stood before them painting a picture of the west that had gone unseen for too long, all the while dressed head-to-toe in cowboy attire.
“He just loved what he was doing, first of all, so that love came through him to the students. And that made it even better. So, they were just fascinated by it,” Hannah said.
Storing his collection at his home, Darden offered private tours to those who wished to learn.
Hannah said Darden’s house was packed with the many unique and interesting things Darden had either procured or created in his long life.
“People would be just amazed man, because he has, he has stuff like I said, in every room upstairs. And then he would take you down in the basement," Hannah said. "He has stuff, he had a lifelike sculpture of Sojourner Truth and it was encased in a big glass thing in his basement.”
In addition to that depiction of the 19th century abolitionist and women’s right activist, Darden’s at-home museum also included models of black churches in Kalamazoo, a diorama featuring inventor George Washington Carver, and a bust of former President Barack Obama made by Darden.
Darden’s dream of opening a Black cowboy museum did not come to pass, but having some of his collection on display may still become a reality at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.
Director Bill McElhone said the KVM is finalizing a deal with Darden’s family to acquire a portion of his collection. The KVM and Darden worked together in recent years to inventory that collection.
McElhone hopes the items can one day be turned into a series of exhibits.
“We're excited. We know that this was a dream of Mr. Darden, for the collection to live on,” McElhone said.
McElhone agrees that Darden had a keen eye for artifacts.
“He knew what was good and what would reflect the stories that he thought was important to share.”
Buddy Hannah said Darden was also known by many as a friend, having been active in his church and community.
Darden was a member of the Bible Baptist Men's Choir, which honored Darden at his funeral by singing one of his favorite songs, “Ride this Train.”
Disclosure: Kalamazoo Valley Museum Director Bill McElhone is married to WMUK reporter Leona Larson.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
