In 1992, Congress passed a law designating July 28th as Buffalo Soldiers Day. This day commemorates the formation of the first regular Army regiments comprised of African American soldiers on September 21, 1866. These regiments consisted of the 9th Cavalry, 10th Cavalry, 24th Infantry, and 25th Infantry. At the time they were created to protect settlers moving west, along with building bridges, roads, and buildings. Soldiers at that time earned $13/month and signed up for a 5-year enlistment.

How they came to be called “Buffalo Soldiers” is up for debate. It has been established that they were given the name by Native Americans. Some say it is due to their curly hair reminding the Native Americans of buffalo, and others say it’s because of the buffalo coats they wore.

Notably, the 10th Cavalry of the Buffalo Soldiers had a major role in pursuing Geronimo and his followers through the rugged mountain landscape in southern Arizona and northern Mexico. This resulted in Geronimo's surrender in 1886. As time went on, the soldiers served in Cuba with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders in the Battle of San Juan Hill in 1898 and in the Philippines in the early 1900s. They served during WWI protecting America’s southern border. The Buffalo Soldier regiments existed just past the end of WWII until the military was desegregated in 1948.

https://nationalvmm.org/buffalo-soldiers-day-july-28/