Buffalo Soldiers Research Paper

Before WORLD WAR I, military service represented a source of black pride. Black educators, clergymen, and the press frequently referred to Negro heroes of America’s past wars. After the Civil War, the U.S, Army maintained four regular Negro regiments –the 9th and 10th Calvary and the 24th and 25th Infantry. These units included veterans of the civil war and the frontier Indian fighting regiments. Retired sergeants often became respected, conservative leaders in their communities. This history set a foundation for black support and involvement in America’s future wars.

On July 17, 1862, Congress "repealed an act of 1792 barring black men from serving in state militia'; (Smith 308). A new Militia Act permitted the enlistment of free black men and ex-slaves. Now after the long hard fight to be allowed to serve in the Union Army, African Americans would finally have their chance to prove themselves as worthy soldiers. They would serve America proudly and fight to free their fellow brothers who were still enslaved.

The role of the Native Americans during the time of the Oregon Trail was a very important one. The first section of the Oregon Trail bisected two major Native American tribes, these were the Cheyenne to the north and the Pawnee to the south. Many of the travelers feared attacks by these tribes but were surprised when they were allowed to pass unharmed. The Native Americans were the opposite of what was expected of them. They were very helpful to the travelers. They often helped travelers pull out stuck wagons, rescue drowning travelers, and even round up lost cattle. Native Americans also acted as guides, carried messages between wagon trains, traded with the travelers, and even helped some travelers cross Indian land.

For many African Americans, the war offered an opportunity to get out of the cycle of crushing rural poverty. Black joined the military in large numbers, escaping a decade of Depression and tenant farming in the South and Midwest. Yet, like the rest of America in the 1940s, the armed forces were segregated. The Army accepted black enlistees but created separate black infantry regiments and assigned white commanders to them. Of the more than 2.5 million African Americans who registered for the draft in WWII, about 900,000 served in the Army. But about only 50,000 African Americans were allowed to serve in combat.

The time has come again to celebrate the achievements of all black men and women who have chipped in to form the Black society. There are television programs about the African Queens and Kings who never set sail for America, but are acknowledged as the pillars of our identity. In addition, our black school children finally get to hear about the history of their ancestors instead of hearing about Columbus and the founding of America. The great founding of America briefly includes the slavery period and the Antebellum south, but readily excludes both black men and women, such as George Washington Carver, Langston Hughes, and Mary Bethune. These men and women have contributed greatly to American society.

He fought long and hard for what “he believed with certitude was a sin against God.” (Bordewich, 3). Of the many words used to describe Brown, one that would come up occasionally was hero. But “it wasn't until the 1970’s that John Brown the hero re-emerged.” (Chowder, 6). Two studies done by Stephen B. Oates and Richard Owen Boyer came to a conclusion that “Brown was stubborn, monomaniacal, egotistical, self-righteous, and sometimes deceitful; yet he was, at certain times, a great man.”(Chowder,6). Also, “among African- Americans, Brown’s heroism has never been in doubt. (Chowder, 6) Many strong black figures commended Brown’s actions in various ways. “Frederick Douglass praised him in print; W. E. B. Du Bois published a four-hundred word celebration of him in 1909; Malcolm X said he wouldn't mind being with white people if they were like John Brown; Alice Walker, in a poem, even wondered if in an earlier incarnation she herself hadn’t once been John Brown.” (Chowder, 6). Harriet Tubman “thought Brown was the greatest white man who had ever lived.” (Bordewich, 5). He even “began comparing himself to Jesus Christ. And he was not alone.” (Chowder, 5). Though he was described as “crazy” for a large part of his life, the fact that he was remembered by so many in such a positive manner, makes him a hero.

Many people throughout history had an impact on America today. Throughout history there has been people who stood up and was against slavery and racism. Harriet Tubman was an influential civil rights leader who was born into slavery, lead many of people to the underground railroad, and continued her legacy by contributing to her community by helping elderly African Americans.

When we think of African American history we often forget about the people before the civil rights movement. The people who paved the way for future leaders. Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and Rosa parks are often who we think of. We forget about individuals that made a significant impact that led us to the present place we are today. Harriet Tubman's contribute to history was that she was the conductor of the Underground Railroad, which helped bring slaves to freedom. Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist and was part of the woman's suffrage move.

The first inquired in the revolutionary war was a african american slave by the name of Prince Estabrook. The symbolic importance of this man inspired Americans and helped shaped the America we know today. Prince Estabrook wouldn't have even been in the militia if it wasn't for Prince Hall. Prince Hall, a British born abolitionist, founder of the Prince Hall Freemasonry. And more importantly responsible for passing the Massachusetts Committee of Safety, which allowed the enrollment of African American slaves into militias. Prince Hall’s legacy continues today, as one of America’s unknown heros.

About 180,000 African American people comprised 163 units that served in the Union Army, during the time of the Civil War, and many more African American people had served in the Union Navy. Both the free African-Americans and the runaway slaves had joined the fight. On the date of July 17, in the year of 1862, the U. S. Congress had passed two very important acts that would allow the enlistment of many African Americans, but the official enrollment had occurred only after the September, 1862, issuance of the, Emancipation Proclamation. In general, most white soldiers and officers, had believed that most of the black men, who had served in the Civil War, lacked the courage, and the will to fight

Paul Cuffe, an African American, helped supply the American colonies during the American Revolution, smuggling goods past British patrol ships. Lemuel Haynes served as a minuteman during the American Revolution, fighting at the siege of Boston and at Fort Ticonderoga. It wasn't until Valley Forge and the large scale desertion of the Continental Army that Washington was forced by circumstances to re-think his views and take African-Americans into his army.

Jesse Jackson, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B DuBois are all African American leaders. All of these men were leaders in their own time and their own sense, living in different eras with different views, but they all shared common ground. All four were African Americans trying to overcome obstacles and become influential leaders in their society.

President U.S. Grant brought hope for blacks. President Grant sent troops to fight the members of the KKK and groups like it.

When you think of great Americans in our history there are countless that come to mind. Some immediately think of the many presidents we have had, others think of inventors, but what about the people that are in between – the people that fought for equality. Fredrick Douglass arguably had the greatest impact on American society, especially African American society, in the nineteenth century. Douglass is credited as being an abolitionist, author, editor, and diplomat. He used literature, books, newspapers, and even speeches, to leave a long lasting mark on our society. Douglass advised presidents and lectured to thousands about different causes, including women’s rights. A cause he felt a strong connection with was the abolishing of slavery, being that he was once a slave.

Some of these leaders are well known in history such as Harriet Tubman. Harriet didn’t necessarily move a certain minority group to another country or continent but her migration is just important no matter the distance and is one of the most famous migrations in American history. Harriet Tubman fled slavery by escaping and then going help others escape and created the Underground railroad. She was a hero to African-Americans not only because she freed them physically but she also freed their minds and liberated them. Although she lost people on her journey, it was for the greater goods.