SAN ANGELO – Fort Concho, with the San Angelo chapter of the NAACP, will host the annual Buffalo Soldier Heritage Day on Sunday, Feb. 27, from 2-4 p.m. at the fort’s Stables Hall on Henry O. Flipper Street. The program is free to all and light refreshments will be available. Masks are not required but seating will be arranged in a socially distant manner.
Speakers will cover several topics, including the story of Henry O. Flipper, the first African American graduate of West Point who served briefly at Fort Concho. Also, the first buffalo soldier units at Fort Concho and their members who were awarded the Medal of Honor will be covered. Lastly, there will be a major announcement regarding a Buffalo Soldier Memorial in San Angelo.
At the end of the formal program, guests are welcome to assemble on the Parade Ground to see soldiers from Goodfellow AFB and the Fort Concho Living History Program retire the colors and fire an artillery salute.
Buffalo soldiers were African American soldiers of the regular army after the Civil War who served mostly west of the Mississippi. Units of all four buffalo soldier regiments served at Fort Concho from 1869-1885 with the most famous unit, the 10th Cavalry, having its headquarters at the fort from 1875-1882. Over Fort Concho’s 22 active years, the buffalo soldiers comprised half of the post’s enlisted men.
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