“Buffalo Soldiers” convention
Okay, I have to admit having mixed feelings on this group.
That organization, the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers & Troopers Motorcycle Club, held its annual convention in Hampton this week.
Helping others is core to the club’s mission, Thomas said Saturday. They also aim to tell the story of the Buffalo Soldiers — Black members of the U.S. Cavalry who protected the west as the country expanded, beginning in 1866. The club’s members come from a wide range of professions and have an average age of 63.
“I’m so proud of these individuals,” Thomas said. “This organization gave these mature individuals something to do. It gave them something to live for.”
Nathan “Motown” Mack, the group’s president, rode his motorcycle for three days, including 18 hours in the rain, from El Paso, Texas. He said the club chose Hampton because of the need in the community. That’s one of the driving factors in the decision to pick a venue each year.
“We’re just here to help in any way we can,” he said. More than 1,500 of the club’s several thousand members signed up for the Hampton convention. They delivered food to residents of Bay Creek Apartments, a low income housing complex, and donated $10,000 to the Virginia Peninsula Food Bank.
The Buffalo Soldiers name was chosen to keep alive a largely untold history. The solders were paid less than their white counterparts and their equipment was in worse condition, Mack said. When a new member joins, they are required to learn about one of the Buffalo Soldiers, said Lawrence “Captain Hook” Van Hook, the national chaplain. And they name a toy buffalo or a bugle after the person they selected.
But the history is complicated: the Buffalo Soldiers fought Native Americans. “They just did what they were told,” and carried out the orders of the government, Mack said. It wasn’t “something that they all wanted to do, (but) something that they had to do.”
So three things jump out at me:
1) I like what they are doing, and admire the dedication to do things like doing that food drive across the country and talking to those kids.
2) ‘The history is complicated’ – you would think men in their ’60s would include a decent percentage of vets. Even if not, they should know that the politicians choose who we fight, not us. And at that time, the Army fought Indians (sorry, Native Americans). It was the job. No commander randomly said “well, we need someone to pick on. The French are too far away, Mexicans have their own problems… damn, who do we kill today?” It just doesn’t work like that.
3) If you are going to teach the history, teach the RIGHT history. Beside the Cavalry (9th and 10th Cav, to be precise) there were two Infantry units, the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments. Gotta give some love and props to the Infantry, now. (Any unit which would ride 110 pound bicycles from Idaho to St. Louis before roads gets MY respect. And 20 of the 25th did just that in 1897.)
I get the black-so-Buffalo connection and like what they do. I’m not so wild about civilians who may have never served calling themselves Buffalo Soldiers or Troopers (unless maybe they are former Highway Patrol.) To me it’s a hallowed name, and it rubs me as raw as a bunch of bikers calling themselves Screaming Eagles. What do you think?
Category: Diversity, Exploitation
I served with 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment twice and the 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry. Both units refer to themselves as buffalo soldiers and are very proud of the regiment’s history. Those guys do good things for the community so I’ll agree with you. However, if you really want to know who keeps the memories of the troopers that served in the west, walk into either one of those units Squadron HQs. Or frankly, any of the 9th or 10th Cavalry HQs. There is an immense sense of pride in their history.
Actuellement, nous sommes tous des Soldats de Buffles.
(Why Frogish? Just seemed more fitting. It is my statement, and I’ll stand behind it. Via translate)
I served with a few members of the local Buffalo Soldiers chapter. I was under the assumption that it was a veteran’s club, I guess not. Doesn’t affect the good works they do.
I guess just following orders and doing what the government tells you to do is only ok if you’re black.
An outstanding Museum, displays, and Living History of the Buffalo Soldiers is located at Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford, Nebraska. Been there several times. Balanced history there, too, of the “Indian” Wars giving the “rest of the story” from the Native’s Side. Well worth a trip and spending some time there.
Ask Gnrl John J. “Black Jack” Pershing his opinion of these Troops. While you’re at it, ask him where the name “Black Jack” came from. Hint…it wasn’t from Federal Gnrl (WBTS) “Black Jack” Logan.
The Army could never really defeat the Natives on the battlefield so the decision was made by ‘Cump Sherman and “Little Phil” Sheridan to starve them out by slaughtering the buffalo. Many buffalo hunters were black. Make of that what you want.
My little burg has a monument to the Buffalo Soldiers and the closest any of them got here was on their way to San Juan Hill. I go by it right often and give them a Salute.
A nice memorial near Ft. Riley and another at Ft. Leavenworth, as well as a museum in Houston.
Two of the best-preserved forts that housed the Buffalo Soldiers in Texas are Fort Clark in Brackettville, and Fort Davis, out in the Davis Mountains of far West Texas. Both are highly scenic and well worth a trip to see them.
Technically, the black troops at Fort Clark were called Seminole Scouts because many of them were of mixed heritage. However, they served with the actual Buffalo Soldier units.
Fort Clark, Texas – Wikipedia
Fort Davis National Historic Site – Wikipedia
Both the infantry and cavalry regiments of the Buffalo Soldiers were stationed at Fort Davis
Don’t forget the Buffalo Soldier Monument at Fort Bliss that looks like Gabby Hayes:
Ol’ Poe has absolutely nothing against what these guys are doing, but while visiting numerous western forts around the West where the Buffalo Soldiers were stationed, it always struck Poe’s admittedly warped sense of irony that in the lore of various Plains Indian tribes, it was the white buffalo that was considered sacred:
White buffalo – Wikipedia
🤔 😜 🤔 😜 🤔
Only because those albinos were exceedingly rare.
Almost as rare as a White Buffalo Soldier, eh, counselor? 😜
Actually, I was a White Buffalo Soldier (reenactor). A Civil War reenactor friend recruited me to be one of the two white officers in an Indian Wars 10th Cavalry company. He, I and our Black 1SG recruited about fifteen fellows into this outfit. We usually had to rent a bunch of horses for the pvt’s, as only about five of us had our own mounts. This was back in the mid 90’s. We usually had about four or five events each year for the four years we did it.
Wyoming’s State Flag has the White Bison in the center.
Most likely, Wyoming will have a new Rep in the House this January.
😉😎
My home state doesn’t take kindly to Reps who don’t rep.
Breaking in the new guy, Poe?
Moi? 😜
Good For Them.
There are so many Motorcycles clubs out there. This is just one.
Better than gangs out on the streets with illegal drugs and weapons…or staying home playing videos, binge watching TV, eating fast food 24/7…
Salute to them.
Correction:
Video games, not videos.