Shortly after the end of the American Civil War, the United States Congress formally approved the formation of six segregated regiments of Black soldiers in the U.S. Army. These regiments were the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st Infantry. These regiments played a significant role in the western frontier, where they were tasked with various duties, including protecting settlers, maintaining law and order, and participating in military campaigns against Native American tribes resisting westward expansion. Given the most deadly and dangerous assignments these soldiers faced severe racial discrimination, often receiving substandard resources and logistical support compared to their white counterparts. Despite the odds stacked against them, these regiments served with distinction and valor. It is believed that these Black soldiers earned the respect of the Native tribes they fought, who honored them with the spirit name of a creature they revered. Because of the color of their skin and hair that resembled the wooly texture of buffalo fur, they became known throughout the west as The Buffalo Soldiers.
The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.
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The Buffalo Soldiers