Buffalo Soldiers Day

Buffalo Soldiers Day, observed on July 28, honors the African American soldiers who served in the U.S. military after the Civil War. These men served in regiments including the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry, taking on challenging assignments and helping shape the history of the American West and the nation’s armed forces.

The observance is an opportunity to learn about their courage, discipline, and perseverance in the face of discrimination and difficult conditions. It also invites communities to recognize the contributions of Buffalo Soldiers and reflect on the lasting impact of their service through education, historic sites, exhibits, and stories passed down through generations.

Buffalo Soldiers Day is observed on July 28 to honor the African American soldiers who served in the United States Army’s segregated regiments after the Civil War. The date recalls July 28, 1866, when Congress authorized the creation of six all-Black regiments as part of the postwar reorganization of the Army. These units eventually became the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments and the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments. Their establishment marked one of the earliest major opportunities for Black men to serve in the regular U.S. military during peacetime.

The soldiers served throughout the American West, protecting transportation routes, escorting settlers and mail, constructing roads and telegraph lines, and maintaining military posts. They also participated in the nation’s campaigns against Native American peoples, a part of their history that must be understood within the broader context of U.S. expansion and the displacement of Indigenous communities. The nickname “Buffalo Soldiers” was used by Native Americans, although its precise origin is debated. Some accounts connect it to the soldiers’ hair or to the respect associated with the buffalo; in time, the name became a lasting designation for the Black regiments.

For decades, the Buffalo Soldiers’ accomplishments received relatively limited attention in popular histories, partly because racial segregation and discrimination shaped both their military service and their treatment after service. Despite facing unequal equipment, restricted advancement, and prejudice, many earned high praise for discipline, endurance, and bravery. The 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry continued serving in later conflicts, including the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War, and Black soldiers helped challenge assumptions about African American citizenship and military capability.

Over time, Buffalo Soldiers Day developed into an occasion for public education and remembrance rather than simply a commemoration of a military unit. On July 28, museums, historical organizations, veterans’ groups, and communities recognize the soldiers’ service, discuss the contradictions of the era in which they served, and highlight their role in African American and U.S. military history. The observance also encourages a fuller account of the American West—one that includes Black soldiers’ contributions while acknowledging the experiences of Native peoples and the persistent racial barriers those soldiers faced.