Watrous, NM: African Americans have served with distinction in every war and conflict of the United States since the American Revolution. However, it wasn’t until after the Civil War when more than 200,000 African American soldiers would fight to end the war and cement themselves as effective soldiers in the eyes of the United States Army. On July 28, 1866 Congress enacted legislation that created the first peacetime regiments of African American soldiers in the army. Two of these units were designated the 9th and 10th Cavalry, and would earn the title “Buffalo Soldiers" as a term of respect from the American Indian tribes they’d be thrust against in the West. Join Ranger James Shephard and learn about the history and impact of the legendary Buffalo Soldiers.
This program will be held at the CCHP/Santa Fe Trail Interpretive Center at 116 Bridge Street in Las Vegas, New Mexico on Thursday, July 20, 2017 at 7:00 PM. This program is free in partnership with the Las Vegas Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation and the New Mexico Humanities Council. You can find our free APP in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. Search for Fort Union National Monument. Visit www.nps.gov/foun, or like on us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FortUnionNM.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
