In 1866, Congress established six all-Black Army regiments (later consolidated into four) to help rebuild the nation after the Civil War and serve on the Western frontier during the Plains Wars. The nickname “Buffalo Soldier” is thought to have originated among Native peoples of the Great Plains, who compared the Black cavalry troops’ hair to the buffalo’s coat and their fighting spirit and endurance. Buffalo Soldiers served with distinction for nearly nine decades across the American West, and their legacy is deeply connected to the history of national parks. In the late 1800s, they became some of the first protectors of places that would later become part of the National Park System, patrolling areas like Yosemite and Sequoia, enforcing regulations, protecting natural resources, and helping establish the foundation for today’s park ranger tradition. Among them was Charles Young, who commanded troops of the 9th Cavalry and later became the first African American superintendent of a ...