RAPID CITY, S.D. – When I was a child growing up in Tucson, Arizona, there was one school event we all looked forward to every year. The Buffalo Soldiers were coming. Dressed in full uniform and marching proudly across our playground, they came to teach us history in a way no textbook ever could.
They chanted in cadence and stood tall with a commanding presence. I remember sitting cross-legged on the blacktop, eyes wide with amazement. They were heroes to me. Real-life soldiers who carried themselves with pride, strength and honor. They didn’t just teach us about American history. They brought it to life.
Every student at our school waited for their visit every year. Their stories, their voices, their presence, it made a lasting impact. I will never forget it. We learn a lot in school, but Buffalo Soldiers Day is the one lesson that never left me.
As we observe Buffalo Soldiers Day today, it’s worth reflecting on the legacy they left behind and why their stories still matter today.
Created by Congress in 1866, the Buffalo Soldiers were the first all-Black regiments in the peacetime U.S. Army. Many were formerly enslaved men who chose to serve a country that still treated them unequally. They became the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments and were tasked with protecting settlers, building roads and forts, and fighting in the Indian Wars. They would go on to serve with honor in the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, and beyond.
It was the Cheyenne who first gave them the name “Buffalo Soldiers.” The soldiers’ courage in battle and their thick, dark hair reminded the Cheyenne of the revered buffalo. The name was a sign of respect and the soldiers wore it like armor.
Their story is one of perseverance and patriotism in the face of injustice. These men helped shape the American frontier while enduring racism, segregation and limited recognition. Yet still, they served. They fought. They marched forward.
And maybe it’s time we bring their march back.
What if schools here in the Black Hills invited Buffalo Soldier reenactors to share their story with today’s children? What if we gave this generation a chance to feel what I felt to see history alive in front of them, to hear voices that echo with pride and purpose? In 100 years from now, maybe someone else will talk about the impact it had on them.
Buffalo Soldiers Day is not just about history. It is about honor. It is about remembering the men who rode through dust and danger for a country that did not always ride for them. It is about letting their legacy live on in our schools, in our children’s hearts, and in the story of America.
Because once you’ve seen the Buffalo Soldiers march, you never forget them. And once you understand what they stood for, you carry them with you forever.
