Buffalo Soldiers Museum

Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Buffalo Soldiers soon comprised other regiments, including the 9th, 24th, 27th and 28th cavalry divisions.

The nickname was given by the native American tribes they fought. According to the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, the name originated with the Cheyenne warriors in 1867. The actual Cheyenne translation was “Wild Buffalo”. Writer Walter Hill documented the origin of the name according to an account by Colonel Benjamin Grierson, who founded the 10th Cavalry regiment, recalling an 1871 campaign against the Comanche tribe.

Since its founding in 2005, Tacoma’s Buffalo Soldiers Museum has served as a community resource encompassing a significant – and all too often overlooked – facet of American history. It is part of our overall historical education efforts.

"The mission is achieved through educational programs, historic research, youth outreach programs and exhibits. The museum creates and disseminates knowledge about the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and their service and contributions." ~ Jackie Jones-Hook, Executive Director