Black History Month
The Most Influential African-Americans of the 20th Century
1. Martin Luther King, Jr
2. Malcolm X
3. Rosa Parks
4. Thurgood Marshall
5. W.E.B. Du Bois
6. Maya Angelou
7. Bill Cosby
8. Muhammad Ali
9. Booker T. Washington
10. George Washington Carver
11. Oprah Winfrey
12. Frederick Douglas
13. Alex Haley
14. Colin Powell
15. Jesse Jackson
16. Arthur Ashe
17. Louis Farrakhan
18. Barbara Jordan
19. Langston Hughes
20. Jackie Robinson
Buffalo Soldiers
In 1866, Congress approved legislation creating six all black regiments: two cavalry, the 9th and 10th and four infantry, the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st. Many of the recruits for the new units were formerly slaves. The regiments received poor quality equipment and food. Another reorganization of the Army a short time later led to the merger of the four infantry regiments into two units - the 24th and 25th.
They fought in the Indian Wars of the American West and were, in part, responsible for the defeat of Geronimo, the notorious Apache leader Victorio, William "Billy the Kid" Bonner and Mexican bandit Francisco "Pancho" Villa. During the Spanish American War of 1898, it was the 9th and 10th Cavalry Corps which drew the fire that led to the decisive and successful charge up Kettle HIll, in Cuba.
Despite second-class treatment, these African-American soldiers were first-rate regiments of the highest caliber and had the lowest desertion rate in the Army.
The 10th Cavalry Regiment earned the name "Buffalo Soldiers" from Native Americans because of their appearance and as a term of respect. With time, all African-American soldiers were known as "Buffalo Soldiers."
