A new film explores what some believe was Alberta's first-ever civil rights case.

"So few people know his story," said Ayesha Clough, the author of "Howdy, I'm John Ware."

Alberta officially recognized Black History Month for the first time in 2017 but the folks in Breton have been celebrating their founding families annually since the mid-90s.

John Ware, freed slave turned cowboy, overcame hardships to become a successful rancher in Alberta; his story continues to be told over 100 years after his death.