Buffalo Soldiers and Cowboy Musicians

Steve, Sebastian and I attended an inspirational presentation today by Shelton Johnson, a National Park ranger who has spent the past 15 years telling the story of the Buffalo Soldiers who served at Yosemite and Sequoia national parks at the turn of the last century.

Buffalo Soldiers were African Americans who joined the U.S. Army after the Civil War, served in the West and fought in the Indian Wars.  The story of their service in Yosemite and Sequoia had nearly been forgotten until Johnson uncovered it (for a longer explanation of this fascinating story, including why they were called Buffalo Soldiers, click on this Yosemite National Park link).

I didn’t know about Johnson or Buffalo Soldiers until a few years ago when I watched the Ken Burns documentary, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea (I did know of Bob Marley’s song, Buffalo Soldier, but didn’t know the history behind it).  Johnson, who is featured in the film, wrote the book Gloryland, a fictional account of a buffalo solider who patrols Yosemite in 1903.  We bought the book today for Sebastian, a history and National Park enthusiast, and I’m looking forward to reading it, too.

Shelton Johnson signs a copy of his book for Sebastian (photo by Steve).

During his presentation at Carleton College, “Gloryland: Using History and Literature as Tools for Social Change,” Johnson explained how astounded he was to come across an old photo of five Buffalo Soldiers at Yosemite.  When he asked about it, another employee told him there was a rumor that a few Buffalo Soldiers had worked at the park in its early days.  Through further research, he discovered that a few actually meant about 500.

The Yosemite Research Library photo of Buffalo Soldiers that drew Johnson’s curiosity.

The story had nearly been lost.  But thanks to Johnson, who portrays one of the Buffalo Soldiers as part of his work at Yosemite, the story is not only being told, he is using it to address a greater cause – getting more African Americans to visit the parks and feel that the parks are part of their heritage.  He even convinced Oprah to go camping!

I felt at times that Johnson could have been speaking directly to me because much of what he said applied to my work with the G. Oliver Riggs project.  I got out my notebook and wrote down some of his quotes:

• “You know the people you came from enabled you to become who you are.”

• “What happens if you don’t tell your story?  Your story disappears.”

• “Stories aren’t just stories.  Stories can change the world.”

• “Don’t let the people who came before you ever be forgotten.”

His talk made me think of the great stories I’ve uncovered during the past few years, including G. Oliver’s participation in the Montana Cowboy Band in the early 1900s, an experience that has a connection to another one of our wonderful national parks, Glacier.

G. Oliver is in the back row, second from right.

I will never forget my delight in finding the Montana Cowboy Band photo and seeing G. Oliver’s face among the group.  I am inspired to keep writing about him, his family, and his adventures in music because I don’t want him to be forgotten.  I don’t know yet how I’ll change the world by telling these stories, but I am inspired to keep trying.