Black history month is here. Perhaps you are familiar with the historical significance of Martin Luther King, George Washington Carver, or Rosa Parks. But can you explain the importance of the Buffalo Soldiers? Here’s a hint, they’re not just the subject of a Bob Marley song.  The Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Outreach Program tells the story of the Buffalo Soldiers - the often overlooked African American heroes and outdoors-men of the late 1800’s. These soldiers helped the country move towards racial equality as they settled the frontier. Did you also know that the Buffalo Soldiers were right at home in the outdoors? They were hunting, fishing and camping as they traveled across the wild west of Texas. Buffalo Soldiers pioneered off-road biking for the US army and were even serving as some of the country’s first park rangers in Yosemite National Park.

Since 1995, The Buffalo Soldiers program has worked with youth across the state to share the story of America’s first black, professional soldiers. The dedicated Buffalo Soldiers instructors and volunteers remove barriers to outdoor recreation by drawing personal connections between young audiences and these soldiers. Today, the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Outreach Program encourages their audiences to lead healthier, happier and smarter lives through increased interaction with the outdoors. You can get involved with the program by hosting the soldiers at your school, volunteering with the program or coming out to one of our Spring events. Visit their Facebook page here.

We have a ton of activities and information to support your learning and teaching in our Keep Texas Wild Teacher Resources.  Here's one example:

Building the West: Buffalo Soliders

Step back in time to the late 1800s and the Texas frontier to learn about the life and contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers!

Print "Building the West:  Buffalo Soldiers" You may print and distribute this pdf of the article for classroom use.

Student Research Page This web page is for your students, with links to activities, video clips and related web sites to guide students' research.

Background for Teachers Learn more about this topic.

Vocabulary definitions and context These definitions include a context sentence to aid understanding.

Activities and Lesson Plans From discussion questions to fun activities, try these supplements to your curriculum to engage students.

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