Henry Harris was an African American cowboy. Born in Texas circa 1865, Harris came to Nevada in about 1885 to work for rancher (and future governor) John Sparks, who was establishing a large ranch in northeastern Nevada and southern Idaho. Harris was a valued employee of Sparks and other ranchers for over fifty years. During that time, he earned a reputation as a great handler of horses and became a well-known African American cowboy in the state.