Black History Month In America~The Buffalo Soldiers

I just thought I would make a public post to bring more attention to some of the most understated heroes in American History.

Absolutely No America-Bashing Here...that is not the intent of this thread...if you want to make a difference, buy the book or write to your local congressman, school board, publisher...whoever you think you can spark interest in regarding this subject. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Thank you.

Given the worst of the worst for equipment and food, these regiments carried out duties no one else wanted with extreme bravery and valor and their story for the most part, remains untold.
Patriotic proffessionals, these men's belief in themselves and belief in their country held them together (for 74 years) through some hard times and with such little recognition that they aren't even mentioned in American History books.

In the post Civil War era, the Western frontier was ablaze with gold seekers, rapists, murders, thieves, land barons, and Indians being threatened by the influx of the white man into their homelands which were growing ever smaller.

A cry to Congress for some help with the situation resulted in recruitment rallies but the whites that had served in the west already weren't ready to leave their green fertile eastern homes for the harsh and hostile environment that the west had to offer.

Newly freed blacks were looked upon for enlistment but never having had blacks armed as peace-time soldiers, Congress was unsure of handing them guns after they had just been freed (nevermind that blacks had served in American military units since the revolution!)
In a Congressional experiment, blacks were recruited into 2 calvary units (9th and 10th) and 4 infantry units that were later consolidated into two (the 24th and 25th).

For the most part, these newly freed slaves could not read or write so white officers were assigned for administrative duties.
Each regiment was assigned 4 chaplains that would travel with them in order to teach them reading, writing, and arithmetic as well as offer spiritual guidance.

Given the name "Buffalo Soldiers" by the Cheyenne for their tenaciousness, strength, bravery and appearance, like that of the Indians' sacred buffalo, a name of honor given to them by a formiddable adversary, the name spread.

They became the most effective hard-hitting combatants in the American west, controlling hostile forces (be they Indian or Europeans in order to protect the Indians), escorting wagon trains and stagecoaches , building forts and roads installing telegraph lines, and guarding water holes, railroad construction workers, horses and cattle.

They protected and escorted settlers, travelers, immigrants, workers,farmers, miners, and cattlemen as well as mapping areas of uncharted country.

With adversaries including certain hostile Indian warriors, horse thieves and cattle rustlers, scheming and murderous politicians, greedy land and cattle barons, crooked government contractors, heartless Indian agents, land-hungry homesteaders, Mexican revolutionaries, train and stagecoach robbers, Law and Criminal Justice System (Especially in Texas) some hostile and prejudice commanders, the Press and sometimes hostile public their history has been all but buried in spite of the fact that they were already ON the hill when Roosevelt charged up it in the Spanish American War in Cuba, later assigned to the Philippines, and even served under John J. "Black Jack" Pershing during the Mexican Expedition.

( FYI: Contrary to the Danny Glover movie, the Buffalo Soldiers did not kill Chief Victorio)

For more info and some pictures, go to:
Buffalo Soldiers & Indian Wars

and:ANTHONY POWELL'S Portraits in Black - The Buffalo Soldiers

Items available through E Bay as well.

If you are interested in historically acurate reading, look for the book "The Buffalo Soldiers" by William H. Leckie

Motto of the 9th calvary unit: "We Can, We Will"
Motto of the 10th calvary unit: "Forward"

Remember, we are all brothers and sisters on this planet.
Amen.

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: Moni ]

P.S. Just because I asked that there be no American-bashing comments made here does not mean that absolutely no comments can be made here.

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Being the avid anti-pro-any subgroup month person that I am, and that I feel that no group deserves any more appreciation than any other group I think if you are going to mention people for distinguised service to this country who are under appreciated you might want to include the Japanese Americans who served in World War 2...they racked up more galantry citations than any other units in europe.

Personally I believe that if you live in and are a citizen of the United States of America..you are not African/American, Polish/American, German/American or any other /american....you are simply American. Just my opinion though. (PS. Having Polish ancestry Id say we pollacks have a right to at least a week of appreciation)


Pax

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Originally posted by MagiK:
[QB]Being the avid anti-pro-any subgroup month person that I am, and that I feel that no group deserves any more appreciation than any other group I think if you are going to mention people for distinguised service to this country who are under appreciated you might want to include the Japanese Americans who served in World War 2...they racked up more galantry citations than any other units in europe.

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But, Japenese-Americans are given credit in American History books, both as having served and as being oppressed whereas the Buffalo Soldiers aren't mentioned...the only black history accredited to blacks in our History books usually starts with Dred Scott (blacks are not people), Plessy v Ferguson (separate but equal), MLK, Brown v Board of Education, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with some mention given to black units that served in WWII and slaves who fought for their freedom in the Civil War.

If it weren't for The Buffalo Soldiers, the American west as we know it would be something completely different!

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Personally I believe that if you live in and are a citizen of the United States of America..you are not African/American, Polish/American, German/American or any other /american....you are simply American. Just my opinion though.

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It'd be nice if everyone could see it that way. [img]smile.gif[/img]

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(PS. Having Polish ancestry Id say we pollacks have a right to at least a week of appreciation)

Pax

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Write your Congressman!

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Originally posted by Moni:
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Umm I don't know about todays schools and their history books..actually in most schools here they don't even bother with history. But when I was growing up they taught us about the Buffalo Soldiers, they taught us about George Washington Carver and many other Black Americans, They taight us about the Black Aviators in World War 2 as well and mentioned that for much of the war Blacks were "segregated" from serving in most army units, they also taught us that it was a Black American cook, who took over an Anti-Aircraft gun position and fought back against the japanese raid on Pearl Harbor...Most of my school days were in public schools though I did sped 4 grades in catholic schools too....Sadly these days they don't want to teach history, they want to cover it up, they want to be free to exagerate incidents to further their own political causes..It really sickens me. I know that what passes for education in Marylands schools now days would have been considered a perverted joke when I went to school....Untill the Unions and politics are removed from the whole public school equation I fear that there is no hjope for a "decent" education for my kids and their kids....sorry subject really gets under my skin...I worry about my kids a lot.

quote: (By Moni)
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Personally I believe that if you live in and are a citizen of the United States of America..you are not African/American, Polish/American, German/American or any other /american....you are simply American. Just my opinion though.
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It'd be nice if everyone could see it that way.


Yeah When I become SUPREME EMPORER OF THE UNIVERSE Thats gonna be my first decree [img]smile.gif[/img]

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Thanks for filling me in Moni. I had no idea. I thought you were talking about a battle in the revolution. See how much schools are teaching us nowadays? [img]tongue.gif[/img]