In honor of Black History Month, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is sharing stories  about the Buffalo Soldiers who were stationed in Hawaiʻi between 1913 and 1918.

Volcanoes National Park has added a new page and podcast to their website celebrating the contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers,

The men, who were stationed at Schofield Barracks on Oʻahu, measured lava within the summit of Kīlauea volcano and were among the first to stay at Kilauea Military Camp. But perhaps most notably, they built a high-elevation, 30-mile trail through unforgiving lava rock that connects the summits of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes today.

The moniker “buffalo soldiers” was given to the men by Native Americans as a sign of respect. The Tenth Calvary of the Buffalo Soldiers even adopted the bison symbol into their regimental crest.

In a statement Park Ranger Dean Gallagher said, “it’s a perfect time for us to tip our flat hats in honor of some amazing men, who literally helped shape the National Park Service, including Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Despite segregation and racial discrimination that continued after the Civil War, these men dedicated their lives to serving their country. What’s more, the Buffalo Soldiers who built the trail volunteered their time,”  

To learn more about the history of the Buffalo Soldiers in the National Park Service visit https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/historyculture/buffalo-soldiers.htm

 

Image courtesy of Volcanoes National Park