Now 77, Tom Hendricks, one of the few surviving Buffalo Soldiers inspires children with the legacy of the US Army’s black cavalry. As a teenager in the 1930s, Hendricks lied about his age to enlist in the all-black horse riding unit like his grandfather. He never lost his cavalry spirit though his active service consisted of driving tanks with General George Patton across North Africa and Europe in World War II.
The Buffalo Soldiers units in the Army were formed soon after the Civil War. Hendrick’s grandfather, James Hendricks, was a Buffalo Soldier in the 1880s and 90s riding the plains from New Mexico to the Canadian border. Hendricks cherishes his grandfather’s discharge papers from 1892. He honors Buffalo Soldiers by publicizing the hardships they endured, including considerable discrimination in spite of their valiant and valued service.
from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Buffalo Soldiers will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Spanish American War in 1998 in Baltimore. Contact Booker T. Brooks, 1701 Bunker Hill Rd, NE, Washington DC 20017-3026.
