Sylmar : Famed Black Cavalry Comes to Library

In celebration of Black History Month, the Sylmar Branch Public Library has invited members of the 10th Cavalry, H Troop--otherwise known as the Buffalo Soldiers--to present a program Monday about blacks on the frontier.

Created in 1866, the Buffalo Soldiers patrolled the West on horseback and later served in World War II and other conflicts. The all-black unit originally served in a segregated Army, taking on difficult missions and consistently performing well.

The soldiers wore shiny, knee-high riding boots and campaign hats as they patrolled the frontier from Montana to Texas, protecting settlers moving westward.

They fought Native Americans during the territorial wars of the late 19th century and later pursued the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa through the deserts of the United States and Mexico.

The Buffalo Soldiers also served with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

One of the last surviving members of the unit, Hollis Ellis, died of cancer in Los Angeles in September 1994, the same year the U.S. Postal Service honored the fighters with a stamp. Ellis was 87.

The Buffalo Soldiers today comprise a small group of equestrians who ride in uniform in the annual Rose Parade and in other events, paying historical tribute to the original horsemen.

The library program will include a slide show and discussion with members of the unit, who will appear in uniform but without their mounts.

The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the library, 13059 Glenoaks Blvd.

For more information, call (818) 367-6102.