Buffalo Soldiers' Legacy Alive and Well in Detroit

The Buffalo Soldiers contribution to the history of the United States is often overlooked when reviewing the westward expansion of the nation in the 19th century. In 1866, Congress enacted legislation to create all-African American Army Units, the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25the Infantry Regiments. During the westward expansion, these military units built infrastructure and escorted settlers across the plains.

"They initially started out as somewhat of a police force; they built towns they couldn't go in because racism still prevailed, they strung telegraph wires, they protected th...