SAN ANGELO, Texas — Fort Concho National Historic Landmark, along with the San Angelo chapter of the NAACP, will host the annual Buffalo Soldier Heritage Day from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27 in the fort’s Stables Hall on Henry O. Flipper Street.
The program is free to all and light refreshments will be available. Masks are not required but seating will be arranged in a socially-distant manner.
Speakers will cover several topics, including the story of Henry O. Flipper, the first African American graduate of West Point who served briefly at Fort Concho. Also, the first buffalo soldier units at Fort Concho and their members who were awarded the Medal of Honor will be covered. There will also be a major announcement regarding a Buffalo Soldier Memorial in San Angelo.
At the end of the formal program, guests are welcome to assemble on the parade grounds to see soldiers from Goodfellow Air Force Base and the Fort Concho Living History Program retire the colors and fire an artillery salute.
Buffalo soldiers were Black soldiers of the regular army after the Civil War who served mostly west of the Mississippi. Units of all four buffalo soldier regiments served at Fort Concho from 1869-1885 with the most famous unit, the 10th Cavalry, having its headquarters at the fort from 1875-1882. Over Fort Concho’s 22 active years, the buffalo soldiers comprised half of the post’s enlisted men.
For more information, call the fort at 325-481-2646 or check the website at fortconcho.com.
