They’re a part of the American West that doesn’t get a lot of attention, but maybe it’s high time they did. They were called the Buffalo Soldiers, and the Institute of Texan Cultures wants you to know about them.
“Buffalo Soldiers after the Civil War became very prevalent in West Texas as it led up into the Indian Wars.”
Greg Garret’s an Education Specialist with the Institute.
“And they were African Americans, oftentimes freed slaves, that started a military career. And they were named Buffalo Soldiers by Native Americans because of their ferocity in battle. And these individuals ended up fighting all the way up to the Spanish-American War ”
As a way of honoring them and educating South Texans about their contributions, the Institute of Texan Cultures has created Buffalo Soldier Day.
"We will be holding it on February 8th. It’s our second Sunday—our second Sundays are free to the public. The military has always provided a forum for social experiment and change, and we’re trying to supply the Buffalo Soldiers as a shining example of that.”
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is collaborating.
"And they’re going to bring out a ton of artifacts, a lot of interactive stuff. They’re also going to be doing a little animal tracking, and they’ll have a cane pole fishing setup. We’ve also go the Bexar County Buffalo Soldiers group coming out.”
It’s happening from noon until five on February 8th at the Institute of Texan Cultures on Cesar Chavez. We’ve more here.
