Life as a Buffalo Soldier

Sgt. George Berry of the 10th Cavalry holding the flags of the company and the U.S.  c.1889

NPS Photo

With the end of a long, devastating civil war, slavery had finally come to an end. However, opportunities for blacks in society and the work force were almost non-existent despite slavery being abolished. Many young black men turned to the one option that guaranteed them a decent salary, food and more dignity than they received in civilian life, the United States Army. Here we present the stories of these men who comprised the early ranks of the segregated Buffalo Soldier regiments and the stories of other Buffalo Soldiers who walked in their footsteps throughout the next eight decades of service.