Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks

 

Buffalo Soldiers of the 24th Infantry posing for a photo while on mounted patrol in Yosemite National Park, c.1899.

NPS Photo

From the wild Alaskan wilderness, to the lava-flowing fields of Hawaii, to the giant sequoias of northern California, the legacy and story of the Buffalo Soldiers extends well beyond the dusty plains of the western frontier. Since the inception of the segregated Army units of African American soldiers in 1866, the Buffalo Soldiers served in various parts of the United States in various roles. Their myriad duties included protecting travelers in the desert southwest, bringing law and order to the gold rush region of Alaska and fulfilling the roles of the first park rangers in the country's national parks. Many of these duties were carried out in places that are now commemorated as National Park Service sites.

Althought the story of the Buffalo Soldiers officially ended in 1951 when the Army desegregated, their legacy lives on in the parks that bear their history. Here, we present some of these rich stories from various national parks that are rooted in the Buffalo Soldiers lore. Scroll down to discover these amazing stories and read about the national parks that these men cemented their legacy in.

 

Stories of the Buffalo Soldiers

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  Ready, Forward!

  Presidio of San Francisco

  Buffalo Soldiers based out of the Presidio helped steward Sequoia and General Grant and Yosemite National Parks as park rangers.

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  24th Infantry

  Yosemite National Park

  In June of 1899, Co. H, 24th Infantry, patrolled Yosemite. In 1903, Troops K and L of the 9th Cavalry managed and protected Yosemite.

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  9th Cavalry

  Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

  In 1903, Troops I and M of the 9th Cavalry cleared trails and built roads in in the park with guidance from Colonel Charles Young.

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  25th Infantry

  Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

  Company E of the 25th Infantry constructed the Mauna Loa trail at Hawai’i National Park in the fall of 1915.

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  10th Cavalry

  Amistad National Recreation Area

  During the 1870s, Buffalo Soldiers from the 10th Cavalry and Black Seminole Indian scouts operated near Amistad National Recreation Area.

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  10th Cavalry

  Chiricahua National Monument

  Companies E, H, and I of the 10th Cavalry were stationed at Bonita Canyon between 1885 and 1886.

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  Buffalo Soldiers

  Fort Davis National Historic Site

  Over an 18-year period, all four Buffalo Soldier regiments were stationed at Fort Davis, which often served as their headquarters.

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  10th Cavalry

  Fort Larned National Historic Site

  Company A of the 10th Cavalry served at Fort Larned from 1867 to 1869. While there soldiers participated in work details and guard duty.

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  9th Cavalry

  Fort Union National Monument

  The Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry served at Fort Union from 1876 to 1881.

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  24th Infantry

  Fort Vancouver National Historical Park

  Buffalo Soldiers in Company B of the 24th Infantry Regiment arrived at Vancouver Barracks in April of 1899.

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  9th & 10th Cavalry

  Guadalupe Mountains National Park

  Between 1867 and 1880, several skirmishes between Buffalo Soldiers and the Mescalero Apaches took place in what is now the park.

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  24th Infantry

  Klondike Gold Rush Nat'l Historical Park

  In May of 1899, Company L of the 24th Infantry was dispatched to Dyea and later to Skagway, Alaska, two towns on “the Last Frontier.”

 

More National Park Service Sites with Buffalo Soldiers History

Click to visit these additional National Park Service sites that have a Buffalo Soldiers history and see what each has to offer, virtually or in person.

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  Glacier National Park

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  Splendid Isolation

  Big Bend National Park

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  Death Knell of the Confederacy

  Chickamauga and Chattanooga

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  More Than A Fort!

  Fort Point National Historic Site

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  Mississippi National River & Rec Area

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  Yellowstone National Park

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  Fort Bowie National Historic Site