The "Untruths" of Frank Hopkins

Hidalgo claims to be based on the true story of Frank Hopkins. Following are several of Frank's boldest claims and the truths that debunk them.

Hopkins claim:He was born at Fort Laramie, Wyoming in 1865
Truth: The Curator of the Fort Laramie National Historic Site states: "Not only is there no documentation, written or oral, to substantiate his claims, the overwhelming evidence leavesno doubt that he was not born at, lived near, or ever returned to Fort Laramie.

Hopkins claim:His mother was a Sioux Indian
Truth: a leading Native American scholar, historian and author states: Hopkins' claims are so outrageously false that one wonders why Disney people were attaracted to this material at all.

Hopkins claim:He won a race from Galveston, Texas to Rutland, Vermont in 1886.
Truth:The head of special collections, Rosenberg Library in Galveston, Texas states: we;ve referenced every newspaper between 1880 and 1890 but there is absolutely no mention of Frank Hopkins or of a race from Galveston to Vermont

Hopkins claim:Was star and ringmaster of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show for 32 years
Truth:We are unable to find any Frank T. Hopkins in our database of known cast members, acquaintances, employees, or friends of Colonel Cody. We find that after Cody's death, some people made pretty spectacular claims about their relationship with him, what they did in the Wild West show, and so on."

Hopkins claim:He won a 3,000 mile, 1,000 year old race in Arabia.
Truth:Dr. Awad Al-Badi, Director of Research, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies: "There is absolutely no record or reference to Hopkins with or without his mustangs ever having set foot on Arabian soil. The idea of a historic long distance Arab horse race is pure nonsense and flies against all reason. Such an event in Arabiaany time in the past is impossible simply from a technical, logistical, cultural and geopolitical point of view. This race has never been part of our rich traditions and equestrian heritage."

Hopkins claim:He witnessed the massacre at Wounded Knee.
Truth:Gregory Michno, Author of many books including Encyclopedia of Indian Wars: Western battles and Skirmishes, 1850-1890: “Black Elk told his story to John Neihardt in the 1930s and it was in the book ‘Black Elk Speaks.’ Some of this [Hopkins' version of the Massacre] is taken right from Black Elk’s book, but it was Red Crow who was with Black Elk, not Hopkins. It is so obvious that Hopkins is a fraud – I cannot see how he could have fooled people for so many years.

Hopkins claim: He was a close personal friend of Teddy Roosevelt.
Truth:John A. Gable, Ph.D., Executive Director, Theodore Roosevelt Association: "There is no listing of a Frank T. Hopkins in the Rough Rider roster in Virgil Carrington Jones's Rough Riders. There is no listing of a F. T. Hopkins in the index of the Theodore Roosevelt Papers in the Library of Congress - Roosevelt's correspondence files - and virtually everyone who knew Rooseveltis represented by letters in this collection.  Did this man Hopkins say anything true?"