Sunday, November 19, 2006

A reflection on July 28, 1866

During July of this year (2006) as our organization prepared to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the formation for the Buffalo Soldier rgiments, I found myself thinking that during the early weeks of the month of July, 140 years ago, Black men were very concerned about their future. For well over 200 years in this country Blacks were held in servitude. In that time the country had gone through a Revolution, created a nation, endured a Civil War and emancipated the slaves. Over 180,000 Black men fought in the Civil War, on both sides, and over 140,000 of them lived to see the end of the war and the freedom they all fought so hard for to achieve. But freedom is truly a relative term. Reconstruction, in the South, was progressing but with it came the Black Codes.

A Republican controlled Congress was concerned about the safety of their American citizens, or so they say, who were venturing out into the Western Territories. And so, an Act was drafted and presented to Congress on July 28th, 1866. It offered 6,000 Black men, some veterans of the Civil War, a chance to earn $13.00 a month. Sure there was training and education, room and board, three squares-a-day and a paymaster at the end of each month, and there was segregation, racism, prejudice, inferior equipment and terrible duty assignments. But there was also an intangible component associated with what the government was offering these Black men. Something that no one could predict or even ascertain the effect of …and that was an opportunity. Give a man, any man, self-determination. Let him feel he has some control of his destiny, let him feel he is free to decide his fate and determine his future; let him feel he is a Man, provide him an opportunity and then step back and watch great things happen . On July 28th, 1866 young Black men pondered their future, seized an opportunity and the rest, as they say, is history.

Trooper Ron Jones

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