1-1                                     1
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 421
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride in
 1-4     recognizing July of 1999 as Texas Buffalo Soldiers Month and
 1-5     July 28, 1999, as Texas Buffalo Soldiers Capitol Salute Day; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Buffalo Soldiers played a significant role in the
 1-7     history of the Lone Star State, and it is appropriate that the
 1-8     Texas Senate pay tribute to their place in our history and to
 1-9     their courage and dedication; and
1-10           WHEREAS, The Buffalo Soldiers were African-American soldiers
1-11     who fought in most of the major frontier campaigns against the
1-12     Indians during the period of 1866 to 1892, as well as in the
1-13     Spanish-American War; they were combatants against the Cheyenne,
1-14     Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Sioux, and Arapaho Indians; and
1-15           WHEREAS, The Buffalo Soldiers were given their name by the
1-16     Plains Indians and consisted of four regiments; 13 enlisted men
1-17     and six officers from those regiments earned the Medal of Honor
1-18     during the Indian wars; five other enlisted men received the Medal
1-19     of Honor for their efforts during the Spanish-American War; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Many outstanding officers served with the Buffalo
1-21     Soldiers, including Henry O. Flipper, Benjamin H. Grierson,
1-22     Abner Doubleday, William Rufus Shafter, Joseph A. Mower, and
1-23     Edward Hatch; and
1-24           WHEREAS, Several scholarly histories on the Buffalo Soldiers
 2-1     were written during the 1960s, and public interest was rekindled
 2-2     by the John Ford production of Sergeant Rutledge; in 1990, the
 2-3     Texas Buffalo Soldiers Program was founded by the Soldiers in Blue
 2-4     Committee in Abilene; directed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife
 2-5     Department, the program has expanded into a statewide initiative,
 2-6     reaching thousands of youths and families through living history
 2-7     demonstrations that are performed at state parks and other venues;
 2-8     and
 2-9           WHEREAS, The Texas Buffalo Soldier Heritage Trails of Texas
2-10     Project was developed by A. C. and Gloria Jackson of Abilene,
2-11     James and Robbyne Fuller of Midland, Eric Strong of Lubbock,
2-12     and Ken Pollard of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in
2-13     Austin; the project aims at involving Texas communities in the
2-14     preservation of the history of the minority citizens of our state;
2-15     now, therefore, be it
2-16           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-17     76th Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the Buffalo Soldiers and
2-18     express appreciation for their extraordinary valor and their many
2-19     accomplishments on behalf of our state; and, be it further
2-20           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor
2-21     of Texas Buffalo Soldiers Month as an expression of esteem from
2-22     the Texas Senate.
2-23                                                                    West
2-24                                  ______________________________________
2-25                                          President of the Senate
2-26                                       I hereby certify that the above
2-27                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
2-28                                  on March 17, 1999.
2-29                                  ______________________________________
 3-1                                          Secretary of the Senate
 3-2                                  ______________________________________
 3-3                                           Member, Texas Senate