160th Anniversary of the Buffalo Soldiers - our California Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail

160th Anniversary of the Buffalo Soldiers
Celebrating the California Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail, 1902–1904

(Sacramento, CA) - On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., on our West Steps of the California State Capitol we will host a statewide commemoration marking the 160th Anniversary of the establishment of the Buffalo Soldiers and the public recognition of the California Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail, interpreting the special service in California from 1902 to 1904.

Our State Capitol ceremony will elevate one of the most significant chapters in African American military and environmental history. Together, we will affirm California’s leadership in Buffalo Soldiers heritage interpretation as we reestablish our Buffalo Soldier Chapter at our SF Presidio, headquarters for our California Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail.

The Buffalo Soldiers were established on July 28, 1866 and served the United States with distinction. Their contributions shaped the nation’s military readiness globally, western development, and early conservation movement.

The 160th Anniversary provides California with a historic opportunity to honor their legacy with the dignity, ceremony, and statewide visibility their service deserves.

Between 1902 and 1904, the Ninth Cavalry was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco and Monterey Presidio and deployed to Sequoia National Park and Yosemite National Park. Under the leadership of Captain Charles Young, one of the Army’s 3 Black officers at the time, the regiment carried out duties that would define the origins of national park stewardship.

Young’s command in Sequoia during the summer of 1903 where his troopers and local contractors built the road to the Giant Forest, extended the road to Moro Rock, enforced conservation laws, protected the high country from illegal grazing, and constructed the first trail to Mount Whitney remains one of the most important contributions of African American soldiers to the nation’s environmental heritage.

Our California Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail Project will connect these sites into a unified interpretive framework, linking San Francisco, Monterey, Sequoia, Yosemite, and the communities of the San Joaquin Valley.

The trail highlights the Ninth Cavalry’s military professionalism, civic engagement, and environmental leadership, while also documenting the racial climate they navigated in early twentieth‑century California. Their presence in San Francisco marked the first time a Black regiment was stationed in a major West Coast urban center, drawing intense media attention and revealing both the challenges and achievements of African American soldiers in a rapidly evolving state.

The 11:30 a.m. West Steps ceremony on July 28 will feature formal remarks, historical presentations, and statewide recognition of the Buffalo Soldiers’ contributions to California’s military and civic development.

The West Steps, of our California State Capitol is a special site for major public observances and provides a prominent public symbolic setting for this commemoration, aligning the event with California’s broader commitments to historical inclusion, cultural recognition, and public education.

Our observance also supports California 175 and America 250, offering a powerful platform for statewide heritage programming. The 160th Anniversary underscores California’s leadership in interpreting African American history within the broader narrative of the American West, national defense, and environmental stewardship.

Our California Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail Project provides a foundation for expanded public programming, interpretive signage, educational curricula, and partnerships with local governments, tribal nations, heritage organizations, and national institutions.

As California continues to celebration our 175th anniversary and our nations America 250, the trail stands as a cornerstone for nationwide heritage development and public engagement.

Together, we will honor the establishment of the Buffalo Soldiers with ceremony, historical recognition, and statewide participation. Their legacy is rooted in courage, discipline, leadership, and environmental stewardship that continues to inspire Californians and Americans across generations. The California Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail ensures that this legacy will be preserved, interpreted, and celebrated for decades to come.