Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
, formed on September 21, 1866 at
Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active U.S. Army post west of the Mississippi River, in operation for over 170 years...
,
KansasKansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was...
. The nickname was given by the
Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States is the phrase that describes indigenous peoples from North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii. They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of...
tribes they
foughtIndian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between the colonial or federal government and the native people of North America....
; the term eventually came to include six units:
- 9th Cavalry Regiment
- 10th Cavalry Regiment
- 24th Infantry Regiment
-History:The 24th Infantry Regiment was organized on 1 November 1869 from the 38th and 41st Infantry Regiments. All the enlisted soldiers were black, either veterans of the U.S. Colored Troops or freed slaves. From its activation to 1898, the 24th Infantry served throughout the Western United States...
- 25th Infantry Regiment
- 27th Cavalry Regiment
- 28th Cavalry Regiment
Although several African-American regiments were raised during the
Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
to fight alongside the
Union ArmyThe Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
(including the
54th Massachusetts Volunteer InfantryThe 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that saw extensive federal service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was one of the first official black units in the United States armed forces...
and the many
United States Colored TroopsThe United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African-American soldiers. The men of the USCT were the forerunners of the famous Buffalo Soldiers.-History:The U.S...
Regiments), the "Buffalo Soldiers" were established by
CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election....
as the first peacetime all-black regiments in the regular U.S. Army.
On September 6, 2005,
Mark MatthewsMark Matthews was an American veteran of the Second World War and a Buffalo Soldier. Born in Alabama and growing up in Ohio, Matthews joined the 10th Cavalry Regiment when he was only 15 years old, after having been recruited at a Lexington, Kentucky racetrack and having documents forged so that...
, who was the oldest living Buffalo Soldier, died at the age of 111. He was buried at
Arlington National CemeteryArlington National Cemetery, in Arlington County, Virginia is a military cemetery in the United States, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a descendant of Martha Washington. The...
.
Sources disagree on how the nickname "Buffalo Soldiers" began. According to the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, the name originated with the
CheyenneCheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taa'e and the Tsé-tsêhéstâhese , which translates to "those like us". The name Cheyenne derives from Dakota Sioux Šahíyena, meaning "little Šahíya"...
warriors in 1867, the actual Cheyenne translation being "Wild Buffalo." However, writer Walter Hill documented the account of
Colonel Benjamin GriersonBenjamin Henry Grierson was a music teacher and then a career officer in the United States Army. He was a cavalry general in the volunteer Union Army during the American Civil War and later led troops in the American Old West...
, who founded the 10th Cavalry regiment, recalling an 1871 campaign against the
ComancheThe Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Originally, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian culture....
tribe. Hill attributed the origin of the name to the Comanche due to Grierson's assertions. Some sources assert that the nickname was given out of respect for the fierce fighting ability of the 10th cavalry. Other sources assert that Native Americans called the black cavalry troops "buffalo soldiers" because of their dark curly hair, which resembled a
buffaloThe American Bison is a North American species of bison, also commonly known as the American Buffalo. "Buffalo" is somewhat of a misnomer for this animal, as it is only distantly related to either of the two "true buffaloes", the Asian Buffalo and the African Buffalo...
's coat. Still other sources point to a combination of both legends. The term
Buffalo Soldiers became a generic term for all African-American soldiers. It is now used for U.S. Army units that trace their direct lineage back to the 9th and 10th Cavalry, units whose bravery earned them an honored place in U.S. history.
Their service
During the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
, the U.S. government formed regiments known as the United States Colored Troops, composed of black soldiers. After the war, Congress reorganized the Army and authorized the formation of two regiments of black cavalry with the designations 9th and 10th U.S.
CavalryCavalry were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. Cavalry were historically the second oldest and most mobile of the combat arms...
, and four regiments of black
infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
, designated the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st Infantry Regiments (Colored). The 38th and 41st were reorganized as the 25th Infantry Regiment, with headquarters in
Jackson BarracksJackson Barracks is a military base in New Orleans, Louisiana. The base was established in 1834 and known as New Orleans Barracks prior to 7 July 1866 when it was renamed in honor of Andrew Jackson who first advocated a US military base here....
in
New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major U.S. port and the largest city in the state of Louisiana. New Orleans is the center of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area, the largest metro area in the state....
, in November 1869. The 39th and 40th were reorganized as the 24th Infantry Regiment, with headquarters at
Fort ClarkFort Clark can refer to:*Fort Clark Trading Post State Historic Site - one of the largest Mandan Villages where George Catlin and Karl Bodmer visited*Fort Clark, Illinois near Peoria, Illinois...
,
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
, in April 1869. All of these units were composed of black enlisted men commanded by both white and black officers such as
Benjamin GriersonBenjamin Henry Grierson was a music teacher and then a career officer in the United States Army. He was a cavalry general in the volunteer Union Army during the American Civil War and later led troops in the American Old West...
and
Ranald S. MackenzieRanald Slidell Mackenzie was a career United States Army officer and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, described by General Ulysses S. Grant as its most promising young officer...
and
Henry O. FlipperHenry Ossian Flipper was an American soldier and the first black American cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point.-Biography:...
.
From 1866 to the early 1890s, these regiments served at a variety of posts in the
Southwestern United StatesThe Southwestern United States is defined as the states that lie west of the Mississippi River, with the qualification of a certain northern limit such as the 37, 38, 39, or 40 degree north latitude. A 97.33 longitude degree west could qualify as the separation of the American Southwest from the...
(
Apache WarsThe Apache Wars were fought during the nineteenth century between American settlers, the U.S. and or Confederate States Army and many Apache tribes in what is now the southwestern United States.-Origins:...
) and
Great PlainsThe Great Plains are the broad expanse of prairie and steppe which lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
regions. They participated in most of the military campaigns in these areas and earned a distinguished record. Thirteen enlisted men and six officers from these four regiments earned the
Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while...
during the
Indian WarsIndian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between the colonial or federal government and the native people of North America....
. In addition to the military campaigns, the "Buffalo Soldiers" served a variety of roles along the frontier from building roads to escorting the
U.S. mailThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution. Within the United States, it is commonly...
. On 17 April 1875, regimental headquarters for the 9th and 10th Cavalries were transferred to Fort Concho, Texas. Companies actually arrived at Fort Concho in May 1873. At various times from 1873 through 1885, Fort Concho housed 9th Cavalry companies A-F, K, and M, 10th Cavalry companies A, D-G, I, L, and M, 24th Infantry companies D-G, and K, and 25th Infantry companies G and K.
After the Indian Wars ended in the 1890s, the regiments continued to serve and participated in the
Spanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was an armed military conflict between Spain and the United States that took place between April and August 1898, over the issues of the liberation of Cuba. The war began after American demands for the resolution of the Cuban fight for independence were rejected by Spain...
(including the
Battle of San Juan HillThe Battle of San Juan Hill is an actual misnomer, but was popularized in the American Press of the day. The actual battle was for the San Juan Heights. The heights were a north-south running elevation about two kilometers east of Santiago de Cuba. The names San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill were...
), where five more Medals of Honor were earned. They took part in the 1916 Mexican Expedition and in the
Philippine-American WarThe Philippine–American War, sometimes known as the Philippine War of Independence was an armed military conflict between the Philippines and the United States, which arose from the struggle of the insurgent First Philippine Republic against United States annexation of the islands...
.
A lesser known action was the 9th Cavalry's participation in the fabled
Johnson County WarThe Johnson County War, also known as the War on Powder River, was a range war which took place in April 1892 in Johnson County, Natrona County and Converse County in the U.S. state of Wyoming...
, an 1892 land war in
Johnson County, WyomingJohnson County is a county located in the north central part of the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2000 census, the population was 7,025. Johnson County lies to the southeast of the Bighorn mountains along Interstate 25 and Interstate 90. Buffalo is the county seat. Kaycee is the only other...
between small farmers and large, wealthy ranchers. It culminated in a lengthy shootout between local farmers, a band of hired killers, and a
sheriff's possePosse comitatus or sheriff's posse is the common-law authority of a United States county sheriff to conscript any able-bodied male older than 18 to assist him in keeping the peace or to pursue and arrest a felon; compare hue and cry...
. The 6th Cavalry was ordered in by
PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
Benjamin HarrisonBenjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States, serving one term from 1889 to 1893. Harrison was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at the age of 21, where he became a prominent state politician...
to quell the violence and capture the band of hired killers. Soon afterward, however, the 9th Cavalry was specifically called on to replace the 6th. The 6th Cavalry was swaying under the local political and social pressures and were unable to keep the peace in the tense environment.
The Buffalo Soldiers responded within about two weeks from Nebraska, and moved the men to the rail town of Suggs, Wyoming, creating "Camp Bettens" despite a racist and hostile local population. One soldier was killed and two wounded in gun battles with locals. Nevertheless, the 9th Cavalry remained in Wyoming for nearly a year to quell tensions in the area.
Another little-known contribution of the buffalo soldiers involved eight troops of the 9th Cavalry Regiment and one company of the 24th Infantry Regiment who served in California's Sierra Nevada as some of the first
national parkA national park is a reserve of natural or semi-natural land, declared or owned by a national government, set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, and protected from most development...
rangers. In 1899, Buffalo Soldiers from Company H, 24th Infantry Regiment briefly served in
Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park is a national park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
,
Sequoia National ParkSequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia, California, in the United States of America. It was established in 1890 as the second U.S. national park, after Yellowstone National Park. The park spans...
and General Grant (
Kings CanyonKings Canyon National Park is a U.S. National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
) National Parks.
U.S. Army regiments had been serving in these national parks since 1891, but until 1899 the soldiers serving were white. Beginning in 1899, and continuing in 1903 and 1904, African-American regiments served during the summer months in the second and third oldest national parks in the United States (Sequoia and Yosemite). Because these soldiers served before the
National Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
was created (1916), they were "park rangers" before the term was coined.
One particular Buffalo Soldier stands out in history: Captain Charles Young who served with Troop "I", 9th Cavalry Regiment in Sequoia National Park during the summer of 1903. Charles Young was the third African American to graduate from the
United States Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, USMA is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key...
. At the time of his death, he was the highest ranking African American in the U.S. military. He made history in Sequoia National Park in 1903 by becoming Acting Military Superintendent of Sequoia and General Grant National Parks. Charles Young was also the first African-American superintendent of a national park. During Young's tenure in the park, he named a
Giant SequoiaSequoiadendron giganteum is the sole species in the genus Sequoiadendron, and one of three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae, together with Sequoia sempervirens and Metasequoia glyptostroboides Sequoiadendron...
for
Booker T. WashingtonBooker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, orator, author, presidential advisor, and the dominant leader of the nation's African-American community from the 1890s to his death. Born into slavery and freed by the Civil War in 1865, he led the new Tuskegee Institute, then a teachers'...
. Recently, another Giant Sequoia in Giant Forest was named in Captain Young's honor. Some of Young's descendants were in attendance at the ceremony.
Other park contributions
In 1903, 9th Cavalrymen in Sequoia built the first trail to the top of
Mount WhitneyMount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States with an elevation of . It is located at the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, just west of the lowest point in North America at Badwater in Death Valley National Park...
, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States. They also built the first wagon road into Sequoia's
Giant ForestGiant Forest, famed for its Giant Sequoia trees is within Sequoia National Park. The forest, at over in elevation, is located in the western Sierra Nevada of California....
, the most famous grove of Giant Sequoia trees in Sequoia National Park.
In 1904, 9th Cavalrymen in Yosemite built an arboretum on the South Fork of the
Merced RiverThe Merced River is a river in the U.S. state of California. The river drains of mostly rugged terrain, and is fed primarily by snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada. Its headwaters are in the southeastern half of Yosemite National Park. The river flows into Yosemite Valley and west through the Merced...
in the southern section of Yosemite National Park. This arboretum had pathways and benches, and some plants were identified in both
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
and
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
. Yosemite's arboretum is considered to be the first museum in the national park system.
In the Sierra Nevada, the Buffalo Soldiers regularly endured long days in the saddle, slim rations, racism, and separation from family and friends. As military stewards, the African-American cavalry and infantry regiments protected the national parks from illegal grazing,
poachingPoaching is the illegal hunting, fishing, trapping, or eating of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws...
, timber thieves, and forest fires. Yosemite Park Ranger Shelton Johnson researched and interpreted the history in an attempt to recover and celebrate the contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers of the Sierra Nevada.
In total, 23 "Buffalo Soldiers" received the Medal of Honor.
Systemic prejudice
The "Buffalo Soldiers" were often confronted with racial prejudice from other members of the U.S. Army. Civilians in the areas where the soldiers were stationed occasionally reacted to them with violence. Buffalo Soldiers were attacked during racial disturbances in:
- Rio Grande City, Texas
Rio Grande City is a city in and the county seat of Starr County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,923 at the 2000 census. The city is 32 miles west of McAllen. It is the hometown of former Commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq, General Ricardo Sanchez. The city also holds the March record...
in 1899
- Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in and the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, United States. Brownsville is the 15th largest city in the state of Texas and the 129th largest in the United States. The population was 139,722 at the 2000 census...
in 1906
- Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States and the largest city within the state of Texas. As of the 2008 U.S. Census estimate, the city has a population of 2.2 million within an area of 600 square miles . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of...
in 1917
The "Buffalo Soldiers" did not participate as organized units during
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, but experienced
non-commissioned officerNon-commissioned officer , abbreviated to NCO or Non-com , is a term in many armed forces indicating leadership ranks less senior than commissioned officers...
s were provided to other segregated black units for combat service — such as the
317th Engineer Battalion.
Early in the 20th century, the "Buffalo Soldiers" found themselves being used more as laborers and service troops rather than as active combat units. During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments were disbanded, and the soldiers were moved into service-oriented units, along with the entire
2nd Cavalry Division-Heraldry:SHOULDER SLEEVE INSIGNIA*Description: On a yellow Norman shield with a green border,*a blue chevron below two eight-pointed blue stars.*Blazon: Or, a chevron azure, in chief 2 mullets of eight points of the second, a bordure vert....
. One of the infantry regiments, the 24th Infantry Regiment, served in combat in the
Pacific theaterThe Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
. Another was the 92nd Infantry Division, aka the
Buffalo Soldiers Division, which served in combat during the
Italian CampaignThe Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the invasion of...
in the
Mediterranean theaterThe African, Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre of World War II encompasses the naval, land, and air campaigns fought between the Allied and Axis forces in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and Africa...
. Another was the 93rd Infantry Division — including the 25th Infantry Regiment — which served in the
Pacific theaterThe Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
.
Despite some official resistance and administrative barriers, black airmen were trained and played a part in the air war in Europe, gaining a reputation for skill and bravery (see
Tuskegee AirmenThe Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who flew with distinction during World War II as the 332nd Fighter Group of the US Army Air Corps.-Origins:...
). In early 1945, after the
Battle of the BulgeThe Ardennes Offensive was a major German offensive , launched towards the end of World War II through the forested Ardennes Mountains region of Belgium , France and Luxembourg on the Western Front...
, American forces in Europe experienced a shortage of combat troops. The embargo on using black soldiers in combat units was relaxed. The American Military History says:
- "Faced with a shortage of infantry replacements during the enemy's counteroffensive, General Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was a five-star general in the United States Army and the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. During the Second World War, he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe, with responsibility for planning and supervising the...
offered Negro soldiers in service units an opportunity to volunteer for duty with the infantry. More than 4,500 responded, many taking reductions in grade in order to meet specified requirements. The 6th Army Group formed these men into provisional companies, while the 12th Army Group employed them as an additional platoon in existing rifle companies. The excellent record established by these volunteers, particularly those serving as platoons, presaged major postwar changes in the traditional approach to employing Negro troops."
Korean War and integration
The 24th Infantry Regiment saw combat during the
Korean WarThe Korean War is a war that started between North Korea and South Korea on 25 June 1950 and paused with an armistice signed 27 July, 1953...
and was the last segregated regiment to engage in combat. The 24th was deactivated in 1951, and its soldiers were integrated into other units in Korea. On December 12, 1951, the last Buffalo Soldier units, the 27th Cavalry and the 28th (Horse) Cavalry, were disbanded. The 28th Cavalry was inactivated at Assi-Okba,
AlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.It is bordered by Tunisia in...
in April 1944 in North Africa, and marked the end of the regiment.
There are monuments to the Buffalo Soldiers in
KansasKansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was...
at
Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active U.S. Army post west of the Mississippi River, in operation for over 170 years...
and
Junction CityJunction City is a city in Geary County, Kansas, United States. The population was 18,886 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Geary County. Fort Riley, a major U.S...
. Then-
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffThe Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States armed forces, and the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense...
Colin PowellColin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State , serving under President George W. Bush. He was the first African American appointed to that position...
was guest speaker for the unveiling of the Fort Leavenworth monument in July 1992.
Controversy
In recent years, the employment of the Buffalo Soldiers by the United States Army in the
Indian WarsIndian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between the colonial or federal government and the native people of North America....
has led to modern critical reappraisal of the regiment, or revisionist history depending on one's political view, by cultural historians as being mere
shock troopsShock troops or assault troops are infantry formations and their supporting units, intended to lead an attack. Shock troop is a loose translation of the German word Stoßtrupp...
or accessories to the alleged forcefully-expansionist ideals of the U.S. government at the expense of the Native Americans. This is seen as a far cry from the historical cultural upholding of the Buffalo Soldiers as being a rare exception to the discriminatory socioeconomic environment.
Cultural references
Music
- The song "Buffalo Soldier
"Buffalo Soldier" is a reggae song co-written by Bob Marley and Noel G. "King Sporty" Williams from Marley's final recording sessions in 1980. It did not appear on record until the 1983 posthumous release of Confrontation, when it became a big hit and one of Marley's best-known songs...
", co-written by Bob MarleyRobert Nesta "Bob" Marley was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands The Wailers and Bob Marley & The Wailers...
and King SportyKing Sporty is a Jamaican DJ, reggae musician, and record producer for the Tashamba and Konduko labels. He is best known for co-authoring the Bob Marley song, "Buffalo Soldier".-Biography:...
, first appeared on the 1983 album ConfrontationConfrontation is a roots reggae album by Bob Marley & the Wailers, released posthumously in May 1983, two years after Marley's death. The songs on this album were compiled from unreleased material and singles recorded during Marley's lifetime...
. Many JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
ns, especially RastafariansThe Rastafari movement is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, new religious movement that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former, and final, Emperor of Ethiopia, as the incarnation of God, called Jah or Jah Rastafari....
like Marley, identified with the "Buffalo Soldiers" as an example of an exceeding black men who performed with courage, honor, valor, and distinction in a field that was dominated by whites, and persevered despite endemic racism and prejudice.
Films
- The 1960
The year 1960 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* April 20 - for the first time since coming home from military service in Germany, Elvis Presley returns to Hollywood, California to film G.I...
western film Sergeant RutledgeSergeant Rutledge is a 1960 film directed by John Ford, with Woody Strode in the title role. The film, controversial for its time, stars Strode as a black sergeant in the United States Cavalry accused of the rape and murder of a white girl.-Plot:...
, starring Woody StrodeWoodrow Wilson Woolwine "Woody" Strode was a decathlete and football star before finding even greater fame as a pioneering African-American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe award for best supporting actor for his role in Spartacus in 1960...
, tells the story of the trial of a 19th-century black Army non-commissioned officer falsely accused of rape and murder. One of the characters narrates the history of the term "buffalo soldier".
- On November 22, 1968, an episode of the television series The High Chaparral
The High Chaparral is a Western-themed television series which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The show was created by David Dortort, who had previously created the hit Bonanza for the network...
titled "The Buffalo Soldiers", starring Yaphet KottoPrince Yaphet Frederick Kotto is an American actor, known for numerous film roles, and his starring role in the NBC television series: Homicide: Life on the Street.-Early life:...
, paid tribute to the soldier's patriotic spirit.
- The 1970 television movie Carter's Army (also known as the Black Brigade), starring Stephen Boyd
Stephen Boyd , born William Millar, was an Irish-born actor from Glengormley, Northern Ireland, who appeared in 60 films, most notably in the role of Messala in the 1959 film Ben-Hur.-Biography:...
, Rosey GrierRoosevelt "Rosey" Grier is an American actor, singer, Christian minister, and former professional American football player. He was a noteworthy college football player for Pennsylvania State University who earned a retrospective place in the National Collegiate Athletic Association 100th...
and Richard PryorRichard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III was an American comedian, actor, and writer. Pryor was known for his unflinching examinations of racism and customs in modern life, and was renowned for his frequent use of colorful, vulgar, and profane language and racial epithets...
, depicted a black unit during World War II, led by a white officer.
- The 1979 television movie Buffalo Soldiers, starring Stan Shaw
Stan Shaw is an American actor. He started acting in the Chicago production of the Broadway musical Hair as well as the Broadway production of The Me Nobody Knows. His last Broadway show, Via Galactica was directed by Sir Peter Hall...
and John BeckJohn Beck is an American actor. He grew up in Joliet, Illinois. Renowned as a gritty actor with plenty of presence on set, he is ultimately best-known worldwide for playing the role of Mark Graison in Dallas during the mid-1980s, but is also well-known for several other roles in which he...
, depicted African-American cavalry soldiers and their actions in the West during the Indian WarsIndian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between the colonial or federal government and the native people of North America....
of the late 19th century.
- The 1997 television movie Buffalo Soldiers, starring Danny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is best known for his role as Mr. Albert Johnson in The Color Purple and as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise....
, drew attention to their role in the military history of the United StatesThe military history of the United States spans a period of over two centuries. During the course of those years, the United States evolved from an alliance of thirteen British colonies without a professional military to the world's sole remaining superpower of the late 20th and early 21st...
.
- The 2006 History Channel special "Honor Deferred" describe members of the Buffalo soldiers in WWII Italy.
- The film Miracle at St. Anna
Miracle at St. Anna is a war film, directed by Spike Lee and written by James McBride, based on McBride's novel of the same name. The film was released on September 26, 2008, and is set during World War II, in fall of 1944 in Tuscany and in the winter of 1983 in New York City and Rome...
, directed by Spike LeeShelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. He also teaches film at New York University and Columbia University...
, chronicles the Buffalo Soldiers who served in the invasion of Italy. It is based on the novel of the same name by James McBrideJames McBride may mean:*James McBride , early Liverpool F.C. player*James McBride , American settler & amateur scientist*James McBride , American politician and doctor in Oregon...
.
- 2009 The film Inside Buffalo, directed by Italian filmaker Fred Kuwornu, chronicles the Buffalo Soldiers who served in Italy. Contains interviews with the veterans, included the Medal of Honor:Lt. Vernon Baker,interviews with the Italian partisan who fought with them, and the presidential speeches of President Barack Obama and Former President Bill Clinton.
Video Games
- In the wild west themed, "Red Dead Revolver
Red Dead Revolver is a western third-person shooter video game published by Rockstar Games and developed by Rockstar San Diego. It was released in North America on May 4, 2004, for both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox video game consoles...
" by Rockstar GamesRockstar Games is a video game developer and publisher owned by Take-Two Interactive. The brand is mostly known for the Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne and Midnight Club series. It comprises studios that have been acquired and renamed as well as others that have been created internally...
, "Buffalo Soldier" is the name of a playable black character in a Union ArmyThe Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
uniform.
See also
- Black Seminoles
The Black Seminoles is a term used by modern historians for the descendants of free Africans and some runaway slaves and Gullahs who escaped from coastal South Carolina and Georgia rice plantations into the Spanish Florida wilderness beginning as early as the late 1600s...
(Cimarrones)
- List of African American Medal of Honor recipients
- Military history of African Americans
The military history of African Americans spans from the arrival of the first black slaves during the colonial history of the United States to the present day...
- Camp Lockett
Camp Lockett was a United States Army military base located in Campo, California, east of San Diego, and north of the Mexican border. Camp Lockett has historical connections to the Buffalo Soldiers due the 10th and 28th Cavalry Regiments being garrisoned there during World War II. It was named in...
- Buffalo Soldier tragedy of 1877
Buffalo Soldier tragedy of 1877 also known as the "Staked Plains Horror" was a tragic event in the hot dry Llano Estacado region of north-west Texas and eastern New Mexico during July of a drought year. Four soldiers and one buffalo hunter would die from the hot horror of the desert. The character...
also known as the "Staked Plains Horror."
- Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who flew with distinction during World War II as the 332nd Fighter Group of the US Army Air Corps.-Origins:...
- United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African-American soldiers. The men of the USCT were the forerunners of the famous Buffalo Soldiers.-History:The U.S...
- 1st Louisiana Native Guard
The 1st Louisiana Native Guard was one of the first all-black regiments to fight in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was based in New Orleans, Louisiana, and played a prominent role in the Siege of Port Hudson...
- 2nd Cavalry Division
-Heraldry:SHOULDER SLEEVE INSIGNIA*Description: On a yellow Norman shield with a green border,*a blue chevron below two eight-pointed blue stars.*Blazon: Or, a chevron azure, in chief 2 mullets of eight points of the second, a bordure vert....
- 9th U.S. Cavalry
- 10th U.S. Cavalry
- 24th Infantry Regiment
-History:The 24th Infantry Regiment was organized on 1 November 1869 from the 38th and 41st Infantry Regiments. All the enlisted soldiers were black, either veterans of the U.S. Colored Troops or freed slaves. From its activation to 1898, the 24th Infantry served throughout the Western United States...
- 25th Infantry Regiment
- 27th Cavalry Regiment
- 28th Cavalry Regiment
- 92nd Infantry Division
- 93rd Infantry Division
- 366th Infantry Regiment
- 761st Tank Battalion
- 784th Tank Battalion
- "Colonel" Charles Long
- Nicholas M. Nolan
Nicholas Merritt Nolan was a United States Army major. He began his military career on December 9, 1852 as an artilleryman then served in the 2nd Dragoons. He started as a private and rose through the ranks becoming a First Sergeant. He was commissioned an officer in late 1862 in the Regular Army...
, Captain (later Major), 10th Cavalry, A Troop, served 1866 to 1881 with the Buffalo Soldiers.
- Louis H. Carpenter
Louis Henry Carpenter was a United States Army brigadier general and Medal of Honor recipient. He began his military career in 1861, first as an enlisted soldier before being commissioned as an officer the following year. During the American Civil War, he participated in sixteen campaigns with the...
, Captain (later Brigadier General), 10th Cavalry, H Troop, served with them from 1866 to 1883 and earned the Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while...
.
- John Bigelow, Jr.
John Bigelow, Jr. was a United States Army Lieutenant Colonel. He was the subject of many articles on military frontier life in Outing Magazine published by his brother Poultney Bigelow and with sketches drawn in the field by the then young and obscure Frederic Remington...
, Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Colonel), 9th Cavalry then with the 10th in Cuba. He served 1877 to 1902 for 25 years with the Buffalo Soldiers.
- Jules Garesche Ord
Jules Garesche "Gary" Ord was a United States Army First Lieutenant who was killed in action after leading the charge up San Juan Hill...
, First Lieutenant, 10th Cavalry, D Troop, Ord lead the first soldiers - "Buffalo Soldiers" not "Rough RidersThe "Rough Riders" was the name bestowed on the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish-American War and the only one of the three to see action. The United States army was weakened and left with little manpower after the Civil War roughly 30...
" (they were number two) - to charge up San Juan Hill and was killed in action at the top of the hill.
External links
- 9th Memorial Cavalry Living History group - 9th US Cavalry
- National Association of Buffalo Soldiers & Troopers Motorcycle Clubs (Regarding the organization of the Buffalo Soldiers & Troopers Motorcycle Clubs (NABSTMC))
- Buffalo Soldiers History
- African Americans in the U.S. Army
- General Order #143 - May 27, 1863 (regarding the organization of African American troops)
- Buffalo Soldiers at San Juan Hill
- Buffalo Soldier Monument - Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
- American RadioWorks documentary: Korea, The Unfinished War Interviews (transcripts and audio) with black soldiers from Korea, including the 24th infantry
- Buffalo Soldier National Museum
- Photograph Gallery of Buffalo Soldiers On the Eve of War (World War II)
- History of Negro soldiers in the Spanish-American War, and other items of interest, by Edward Augustus Johnston, published 1899, hosted by the Portal to Texas History.
- The 25th Infantry Regiment
- BuffaloSoldier.net
- U.S. Army 10th Cavalry history
- U.S. Army 25th Infantry history
- shadowsoldier.wilderness.net, a website devoted to remembering the contributions of the buffalo soldiers of the Sierra Nevada, by Park Ranger Shelton Johnson, Yosemite National Park
- the Warriors Project, an ongoing research program of the University of Texas at El Paso, Arizona State University and the National Park Service's DSCESU program]
- The Buffalo Soldiers of World War II, a memoir based on journal kept by Ivan J. Houston, a Buffalo Soldier
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Buffalo Soldiers