The Forgotten Heroes: The Story of the Buffalo Soldiers

In this well-researched, revealing book, journalist Cox ( Undying Glory ) tells the story of the all-black units of the 9th and 10th Cavalry, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers. The book focuses on the years between 1866 and 1891, when the Buffalo Soldiers rode hundreds of thousands of miles on the western frontier, mapping uncharted territory and laying the groundwork for the creation of eight states. They achieved these goals despite consistently being treated as inferiors, receiving the poorest horses and equipment, and being assigned tasks considered too dangerous for white soldiers. Of equal interest is the role the Buffalo Soldiers played in removing Native Americans from their homelands; the author effectively argues that the American government--George Armstrong Custer and Theodore Roosevelt in particular--used one oppressed group to systematically destroy another in order to win land for white settlers under the guise of patriotism. Cox eloquently articulates the dilemma many soldiers faced as they were forced to choose between their jobs and their consciences. Although the narrative sometimes falls into a cataloguing of expeditions and battles, it provides new insights into a fascinating piece of American history and challenges traditional visions of westward expansion. Ages 8-14. (Nov.)