The Buffalo Soldiers

Congress approved the creation of African American regiments and cavalry in 1866. This was the first time in United States history that African Americans could enlist in the Army while the nation was at peace. Famously known as the Buffalo Soldiers, these men helped to settle the wild west and earned an unprecedented 23 medals of honor, a record for the time. Their valor and bravery goes largely unrecognized in history books, but the Buffalo Soldiers helped shape the United States we live in today.