The Buffalo Soldiers

The Buffalo Soldiers were members of the all-Black 9th and 10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry regiments of the U.S. Army, formed in 1866 — just one year after the end of the Civil War. They served on the American frontier, in the Spanish-American War, in the Philippines, in both World Wars, and in Korea, compiling one of the most distinguished combat records in American military history while enduring systemic racism from the very government they served.

The name "Buffalo Soldiers" was given to them by the Cheyenne and Comanche peoples, possibly because of their dark curly hair's resemblance to buffalo fur, or because of their fierce fighting spirit. The soldiers adopted the name with pride, and the 10th Cavalry incorporated the buffalo into their regimental crest.

Buffalo Soldiers earned 18 Medals of Honor during the Indian Wars alone. They built roads, mapped wilderness, protected settlers, and served as some of the first park rangers in Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. In the Spanish-American War, they fought alongside Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders at San Juan Hill — though Roosevelt later minimized their contributions. Their story is one of extraordinary service in the face of extraordinary injustice: they fought for a country that denied them the basic rights of citizenship.