Community Corner
Heroes of the American West: Buffalo Soldiers
History Alive takes a look inside the lives of these pioneering African Americans.
Learn about the proud heritage of some of America’s greatest unsung heroes as presents a look at the Buffalo Soldiers on Thursday at the H. Lee House.
“The Buffalo Soldiers' story is rooted in the American West and in the migration of many African Americans westward, in the wake of the Civil War, to seek a better life,” says Helen Ofield, president of the Lemon Grove Historical Society. “While the latter holds true for millions of Americans, it has particular poignancy in African American history and diaspora.”
Buffalo Soldiers is the name given to the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments of the U.S. Army. In recognition of Black History Month, the Lemon Grove Historical Society will host descendants of the black soldiers, who will tell about their ancestors’ experiences as the advance guard for the nation's Western expansion.
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The free event will feature five representatives from a local chapter of Buffalo Solidiers, who will each give a short presentation. Member Rachel Hilliard will perform a piece based on an often unmentioned group, the women Buffalo Soldiers—whom Ofield says hold a “unique role in the history of the American military.”
“Many people have heard of [Buffalo Soldiers] without quite knowing the full story, why the word buffalo is used, and precisely what they did for our country,” Ofield says. “Our History Alive presentation is an opportunity to discover and rediscover this fascinating story.”
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History Alive: Buffalo Soldiers will take place on Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. at the . Everyone is welcome to attend—lectures are suitable for kids 13 and older. For more information, call 619-460-4353.
“Though we mark Black History Month along with the rest of the nation as a special observance, we believe that everyone's history is just that: everyone's history,” Ofield says. “America's multitudinous stories can be seen as a great, interlocking puzzle with no piece lesser than another. The Historical Society does its part to shed light on the puzzle and encourage lifelong learning.”
