Ethnic Studies

The Future of the Past: Ethnic Studies 101 “Buffalo Soldiers” in the Regular Army 1866-1891

“If a race has no history, no tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated” Carter G. Woodson

Buffalo Soldiers !

Were all black troops between the Civil War and Korea

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Were loved and respected by their Indian opponents

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Got useless Civil War surplus gear

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“Buffalo Soldiers” are living today Were all “Rastafarians” Won the West singlehandedly Fought with their heads down like real Bison

What is wrong with this picture? !

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Simply put, all of what you just “learned” and most of what America knows about “Buffalo Soldiers” is wrong.

Hollywood gets it wrong, popular culture gets it wrong, most re-enactors get it wrong, and many teachers get it wrong.

What we do know !

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Created in 1866 by Act of Congress, six regiments of black soldiers and their white officers began a tradition of segregated military service in the U.S. Army that would continue until the middle of the Korean Conflict.

Reorganized in 1869, these men were assigned to four regiments, two of Cavalry (Horse Soldiers) and two of Infantry (Foot Soldiers).

What they did !

Seeing personal opportunity for themselves and an improved situation for other African Americans as a result of their service, nearly ten thousand African American men served in the Regular U.S. Army on the Frontier before the end of hostilities.

What was left behind !

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Active fighting took place between these men (and other U.S. troops) against Indian peoples in the West until 1891.

Their service made it possible for black men to be considered for officer rank and admission into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

What was left behind The men of the black regular regiments created a multifaceted legacy that includes: !

A Government sponsored education;

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An unforgettable presence in the West;

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Devotion to duty;

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The highest rate of reenlistment and lowest rate of alcoholism in the Army;

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Savings, pensions, retirement and status as the nation's first African American Federal employees; and;

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Numerous recognitions and Medals of Honor.

The Problem !

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The context of Black Men fighting for citizenship and respect in the American West during Reconstruction is little known and hardly understood.

The history of and knowledge about these men and their legacy has been almost exclusively the province of white historians.

Ownership of this history has been lost by the African American community, leaving myths, legends, and wishful thinking in its place.

Most Historically Black Colleges and Universities are not presently equipped to lead research in this area.

The Problem !

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Photographs, uniform parts, and other artifacts in the hands of African American families, organizations, and collectors are easy marks for predatory collectors.

Artifacts related to the “Buffalo Soldiers” in the hands of many collectors and community based museums lack the context to be appreciated and the care to survive for future generations.

The Problem !

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There is no national curricula for teachers to use that addresses the history, legacy, and larger context of “Buffalo Soldiers” Popular culture, especially the Internet, is rife with information about these men that is misleading, factually incorrect, and which often misses the point entirely.

Riding to the Rescue The “Buffalo Soldiers” Education Foundation has been created to promote the preservation of the history and the artifacts of African American soldiers in the Regular Army during the period 1866-1891.

Fixing the Problem The Foundation will provide: !

Curricula for teachers and others;

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Learning tools for enthusiasts;

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Training for students of African American military history, especially Historically Black Colleges and Universities;

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Preservation information for African American families, organizations, and collectors, and;

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Creates focus and high standards by addressing myths and legend so others can achieve new levels of knowledge, appreciation, and understanding.

The Approach !

The “Buffalo Soldiers” Education Foundation will accomplish these tasks through four signature programs that are designed to address all of the problems identified to date with the lost history and mythologized legacy of black soldiers in the Frontier Army.

4 Focused Programs 1.

National “Buffalo Soldier” Curriculum

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“Buffalo Soldier” Learning Institute

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BSEF Web Site with “Report Card”

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“Honor Above All” Preservation Program

National “Buffalo Soldier” Curriculum The Foundation will work with recognized education organizations and historians to create an attractive and useful curricula based on national history teaching standards and the highest levels of historical accuracy and curricula design.

“Buffalo Soldier” Learning Institute The Foundation would sponsor an annual, week-long, “hands-on” “Buffalo Soldier” Learning Institute so a sophisticated understanding of the history and legacy of the men of the black regiments can be made available to:

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Teachers; Museum curators; Community activists; History enthusiasts, and;

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“Buffalo Soldier” re-enactors;

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Buffalo Soldier Learning Institute Teachers

Enthusiasts

Collectors

Quality Research Counts

How and where to conduct research on soldiers

How and where to conduct research on gear and drill

How and where to conduct research on artifacts

The period is 1866-1891

Objects and discussions focus on 1866 – 1891

Objects and discussions focus on 1866 – 1891

Objects and discussions focus on 1866 – 1891

Artifacts are important

Real artifacts are used to teach about Buffalo Soldiers

Real artifacts are used to teach about gear

Real artifacts are used to teach conservation

Education is critical

The National Curricula is taught

Uniforms, arms, and 1874 Drill are included

Uniforms and arms are included

BSEF Web Site with “Report Card” The Foundation would create, maintain, and update a focused “Buffalo Soldier” web site with a number of learning tools and options including Reviews and “Report Cards” for web sites and popular history projects that would focus attention on lies, myths, and legends.

Honor Above All Artifact Conservation Program The “Honor Above All” Artifact Conservation Program would help African American families, organizations, museums, and private collectors to better understand the context, time frame, intrinsic and replacement value, and conservation needs of the items in their control, while at the same time, training African American graduate students to become the next generation of experts in the field.

More About the Curricula ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Curricula content will include: African American Civil War Military history (1861-1865) African American Indian Wars Military history (1866-1891) Myths and Legends about “Buffalo Soldiers” American Indian perspectives on “Buffalo Soldiers” The Daily Life of a “Buffalo Soldier” Research techniques Researching your “Buffalo Soldier” ancestor The importance of conserving family artifacts Bibliography Learning Activities

More about “Honor Above All” The “Honor Above All” Artifact Conservation Program will: !

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Provide collectors and museums with accession and catalog records, insurance valuation data, historical context, and conservation and storage recommendations.

Train graduate students from HBCUs by matching them with 19th Century military history experts.

More About the Website Welcome to the BSEF Web Site

Purpose

Mission

Artifacts Count

The focus is 1866 - 1891

Quality Research Counts

Education is Critical

Thumbnail History of the “Buffalo Soldier”

BSEF Web Site Intro Page on “Buffalo Soldiers” “What is history, anyway?”

Web Site Reviews and Report Card

“What was a “Buffalo Soldier?”

Gear and Equipment

“Buffalo Soldier” Time Line “Buffalo Soldier” Photos by Decade

Upton’s 1874 Tactics Online Online “Buffalo Soldier” Exhibits

Links to Vetted “Buffalo Soldier” Sites

Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts “Buffalo Soldier Myths and Legends”

National “Buffalo Soldier” Curriculum”

What is History, anyway?

“What is History, anyway?”

Defining Research

Defining Enthusiasm

Report Card Page

A word from Bill Leckie on historical research

Annotated Bibliography

Sources for research on the “Buffalo Soldier”

How to conduct Historical Research

“Buffalo Soldier” Report Card Introduction and Need

Explanation of “Grades”

Link to “Myths and Legends” Page

General types of issues

Reviews of Web Sites with “Grades”

Link to History and Research Page

“What was a Buffalo Soldier?”

“What was a “Buffalo Soldier?”

The Legacy of the “Buffalo Soldier”

“How did they get the name “Buffalo Soldier?”

American Indian Perspectives on “Blacks in Blue”

Why the time period 1866 – 1891?

The Regular Army and the “Indian Wars”

Online “Buffalo Soldier” Exhibits Preamble and Credits

“Buffalo Soldiers West” by Bill Gwaltney

“Buffalo Soldiers” by the International Museum of the Horse

Links to Vetted Web Sites Preamble and Credits

Yosemite National Park

U.S. Army Military Museums

U.S. Army Center for Military History

U.S. National Archives

Library of Congress

Ft. Davis National Historic Site

Ft. Larned National Historic Site

“Warriors” Project

“Buffalo Soldier” Myths and Legends The problem with “Myths and Legends”

“Rastafarians”

Myths of Commission

Myths of Omission

Link to “Report Card” Page

Link to History & Research Page

“Putting their heads down”

“A mark of respect from Indian people”

Etc. etc,,.

“Buffalo Soldier” Curriculum National “Buffalo Soldier” Curriculum Link to Learning Locations & Tools

“Buffalo Soldier” Institute

Link to National Archives Curriculum for Adult Learners

Curriculum for 4th Grade Students

Curriculum for 7th Grade Students

On Task and On Mission !

The “Buffalo Soldiers” Educational Foundation will succeed where others have failed by sticking to one important aspect of African American history and ensuring that students, teachers, and all Americans have access to high quality historical information presented in a thoughtful, friendly, and useful style.

What can you do? !

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BSEF is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit educational foundation which allows you to donate for these four programs.

BSEF is at work on an endowment that would support the work outlined here.

Point of Contact !

Kevin Clark

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Address 17838 Erwin Street Phone Number (818) 918 7684

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Email kevinclark@dakarfoundation.org

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http://www.dakarfoundation.org

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