FORT GARLAND — The film “Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts,” will be shown at the Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center on Saturday, Feb. 22, at noon. There will be a discussion of the film providing an opportunity for the audience to delve deeper into the historical context of the soldiers.
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FORT GARLAND — The film “Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts,” will be shown at the Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center on Saturday, Feb. 22, at noon. There will be a discussion of the film providing an opportunity for the audience to delve deeper into the historical context of the soldiers.
This feature film vividly portrays the bravery and resilience of the military regiments known as “Buffalo Soldiers.” In 1867, Congress established brigades of these soldiers, which consisted of African American men, in exchange for full citizenship as promised by the 14th Amendment but were denied this right by the Jim Crow laws established in the Reconstructionist South.
Buffalo Soldiers were stationed at Fort Garland from 1876 to 1879, according to History Colorado, “Buffalo Soldiers were a key factor in the settlement of Colorado, for better or for worse. They participated in many of the conflicts between settlers and the Native Americans of the area.”
These soldiers helped lead the United States expansion westward; they built and guarded the Pacific Railroad and served as park rangers in places like Sequoia and Yosemite before the National Park Service was created.
Celebrating their service, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve noted, “As formerly enslaved and recently emancipated men, they knew firsthand the humiliation of prejudice and mistreatment. Though most lacked formal education, these soldiers had a depth of courage and perseverance forged through their own suffering, and compassion reinforced by their spirituality. Today they are recognized for their exceptional bravery and service.”
When Teddy Roosevelt visited San Francisco in 1903, he requested that his security detail consist of Buffalo Soldiers.
They served in WWI and combat during the Italian Campaign in WWII with the 92nd Division.
“Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts” is directed by filmmaker Due Holly, a graduate of the Art Institute of Colorado, this is Holly's feature directorial debut.
The Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center is located at 29477 Colorado Highway 159, Fort Garland.
