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Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum

Name: Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
Address: 3816 Caroline Street, Houston, TX, 77004, US
Telephone: (713) 942-8920
Price range: $
Rating: 4.8

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Buffalo Soldiers National Museum

Learn more about the Black military experience. The Beginning

African Americans have served proudly in every great American war.
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In 1866, through an act of Congress, legislation was adopted to create six all African American Army units. The units were identified as the 9th and 10th cavalry and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st infantry regiments. The four infantry regiments were later reorganized to form the 24th and 25th infantry regiments. These fighting men represented the first Black professional soldiers in a peacetime ar

my. The recruits came from varied backgrounds including former slaves and veterans from service in the Civil War. The Nickname

The nickname buffalo soldiers began with the Cheyenne warriors in 1867. The actual Cheyenne translation was Wild Buffalo. The nickname was given out of respect and the fierce fighting ability of the 10th cavalry. Overtime, Buffalo Soldiers became a generic term for all African American soldiers.

09/01/2026

On July 28, 2026, the 4th Squadron of the 10th Cavalry Regiment conducted its final formation before deactivation.

As many of you know, the Buffalo Soldiers began as all Black units, compromised of 9th & 10th Calvary and 24th & 25th Infantry Regiments. These units were created after the Civil War, active between 1866-1944, having served in both World Wars, as the National Parks' first rangers, and other miscellaneous engagements.

As the Cold War approached, the 10th Cavalry Regiment was reactivated in 1958 as an integrated combat unit. According to the Army, this deactivation reflects their “broader transformation of its force structure to meet the demands of future large-scale combat operations. As emerging capabilities, including unmanned systems and electronic warfare, enhance battlefield effectiveness, the Army is sunsetting the 4-10 to modernize its force structure.”

📸 US Army

08/29/2026

Today we celebrate the birthday of the United States Marine Corps Reserve and honor the Marines who remain ready to answer our nation's call.

We recognize the legacy of Major General Clifford L. Stanley, a Marine whose distinguished career included decades of active and reserve service before becoming one of the Corps' most respected leaders. His commitment reflects the values of service, discipline, and leadership that define Marines everywhere.

08/26/2026

Every photograph restored, every artifact protected, every story carefully passed forward is an act of respect for the people who have served this country and a responsibility to the community who learn from us.

We preserve history not to keep it locked in the past, but to keep it alive — visible, tangible, and human.

The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum exists because these legacies matter, and every day, we work to ensure these stories endure for generations to come.

08/24/2026

Meet Dr. Roscoe Conkling Brown Jr. (1922-2016), Tuskegee Airman and squadron commander of the 332nd Fighter Group.

Brown joined the U.S. Army and graduated from the Tuskegee Flight School in 1944, serving as a flight leader and operations officer. His most notable commendation is becoming the first 15th Air Force pilot to shoot down a German fighter jet. This would later earn him the Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded to individuals who “distinguished themselves by single acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.”

After Brown retired from the military in 1946, he continued his education, earning an M.A. in 1949 and a Ph.D. in 1951. For decades, he worked as an educator in places like Bronx Community College and the City University of New York (CUNY), and was heavily involved in the community. Brown was even active in media, having published several articles, contributed to several books, and won an Emmy Award for Distinguished Program with a weekly series titled Black Arts.

08/22/2026

Today we celebrate the legacy of Lieutenant General Arthur J. Gregg. Born in Florence, South Carolina, 1928 and raised in Newport News, Virginia, the Jim Crow South did not leave Gregg with many options, although he was educated and hardworking. Soon turning 18 and having family who had served, he felt this was a good opportunity to get some experience and support himself. Gregg enlisted in January 1946 and underwent basic training at Camp Crowder, Missouri.

His education up to this point revolved around being a laboratory technician for a hospital, but was told before and after enlisting that no one would allow him to handle white patients. Greg jumped at the opportunity to join the 3511th Quartermaster Truck Company, then was assigned to the 510th Military Police Platoon in Mannheim. After Executive Order 9981 was signed, he looked for more opportunities to be a career soldier.

In 1950, Greg was commissioned as a second lieutenant for the Quartermaster Corps at age twenty-two. He would go on to continue his education and rise through the ranks in service until President Jimmy Carter nominated Gregg as Director for Logistics, J-4, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the Pentagon. In 1977, Gregg was promoted to lieutenant general, the first African American man to reach the rank in Army history. In 1981, he would retire as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, having served thirty-six years in the Army. in 2024, Gregg passed surrounded by loved ones and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

📸 Arthur Gregg, circa 1966

08/20/2026

Meet Chester Nez (1921-2014), one of the original twenty-nine Code Talkers from World War II.

Nez was born in Chi Chil Tah, New Mexico, to the Navajo Dibéłizhiní (Black Sheep Clan) of the Tsénahabiłnii (Sleeping Rock People). Nez’s family prospered herding sheep until the federal government slaughtered tens of thousands for overgrazing.

He and many other children with Native heritage would attend Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding schools that pushed assimilation - gradually stripping away Nez’s heritage and forbidding the language to be spoken. However, in 1942, when Nez was in high school, a Marine Corps recruiter visited his school, looking for bilingual students in English and Navajo.

He would have been justified in looking the other way, knowing how Indigenous Americans were being mistreated, but he felt called to serve. “Somebody’s got to go. Somebody’s got to defend this country. Somebody’s got to defend the freedom.” - Chester Nez

He and his fellow Marines were tasked with coming up with a code based in Navajo that would later be used by the 400 Indigenous who followed in their footsteps. The two-layer encryption system was effective, and these soldiers were prohibited from discussing their service until the military ceased using the code in 1968.

📸 NY Times

08/18/2026

History that travels. Stories that inspire. 🪖

The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum’s Traveling Exhibitions are designed to educate, engage, and spark conversation. Perfect for schools, libraries, and community spaces, each exhibit showcases the powerful legacy of African American military service.

Let’s work together to bring these stories to new audiences.

For more information about BSNM’s traveling exhibitions, please contact us at [email protected].

08/16/2026

Happy National Airborne Day!

Today we recognize the men and women who have proudly earned the title of Airborne. Their courage, discipline, and willingness to answer the call from the skies embody the highest traditions of military service.

We salute all Airborne veterans—past and present—for their dedication and sacrifice.

08/14/2026

we honor the remarkable legacy of the Navajo Code Talkers, whose unbreakable code and extraordinary courage helped secure victory during World War II.

Their ingenuity, patriotism, and service remain a powerful reminder that history is shaped by those willing to serve with honor and determination. Contributions from these Indigenous American soldiers also remind us that America's strength has always come from the service of diverse communities.

📸 National Archives, First 29 Navajo U.S. Marine Corps code-talker recruits being sworn in at Fort Wingate, NM

08/12/2026

Meet Private Samuel Truehart (1843-1897), Veteran of the Civil War.

Born in Shelby County, Kentucky, enslaved, Truehart enlisted at age twenty-one to secure his freedom. In 1864, he was mustered into Company E of the 5th Regiment Cavalry of the United States Colored Troops. There are only assumptions about which battles he participated in, but it’s confirmed he had an extended stay in a hospital in Camp Nelson, Kentucky. Truehart was mustered out on March 16, l866 in Helena, Arkansas.

📸 National Park Service

Address

3816 Caroline Street
Houston, TX
77004

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

(713) 942-8920

Website

https://www.buffalosoldiersmuseum.org/

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