Book Information
• $24.00 paperback
• 206 pages, 6×9 in
• 22 black and white photographs
• Published May 2026
• ISBN: 979-8-9939600-3-6
• Subject: US History, Wyoming History, Crime

Order from a bookseller near you, or purchase your copy here:

Only two months after taking office in 1944, the newly elected mayor, Ira Hanna, along with the chief of police, a captain, and a sergeant, began demanding that African American club owners offer gambling and prostitution and pay “protection money.” Shortly after the extortion began, several Black businesspeople, led by club owner Lola West, approached the Cheyenne Police Department and the prosecuting attorney, Byron Hirst. A sting operation was arranged. The four were arrested, tried, and convicted, and all served time in the Wyoming State Penitentiary.

Historian Rick Ewig’s research into WWII-era Cheyenne uncovers the city’s many colorful residents, many of whom were exploited by a dishonest mayor and his chief of police.

Their corrupt racket was brought to a dramatic end by a young county attorney and a group of business owners, led by an African American woman.

About the Author
Rick Ewig holds a master’s degree in history from the University of Wyoming. He has worked at the Wyoming State Archives, Museums, and Historical Department and at the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming. Editor of the Annals of Wyoming, the state’s historical journal, Ewing has served as both secretary and president of the Wyoming State Historical Society.