TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Post of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club celebrated Ohio Buffalo Soldiers Day on Sunday.
The term ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ originally referred to the all-Black soldiers who served in segregated units in the U.S. Army after the Civil War and through the Korean War in the 1950s. Over 180,000 Buffalo Soldiers served in the Army up through the time that the armed forced integrated in 1952.
Ohio is the only state in the nation which has designated July 28 as Buffalo Soldier Day on a yearly basis, doing so in 2022, largely as a result of efforts by the Toledo club.
Buffalo Soldier Day was first acknowledged nationally in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush but it was not made a yearly event.
A ceremony at Wilson Park in north Toledo on Sunday included a presentation by U.S. Army Major General John C. Harris Jr., adjutant for the Ohio National Guard.
A large crowd turned out for the event including U.S. Congressperson Marcy Kaptur and a group from the Buffalo Soldiers Pittsburgh Post.
It was very gratifying to not only have our Pittsburg post come and join us today, but local dignitaries, council people, state representatives, state senators, Marcy Kaptur said Fred LeFebvre, Secretary for the Toledo Buffalo Soldiers. “A great group of people who support us on a regular basis. We can't do anything without the support of the community and so we’re very appreciative of that."
Made up of retired Law Enforcement Officers, Military, and others who share a passion for motorcycles and community, the Toledo Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club seeks to educate the public and honor the history of the original ‘Buffalo Soldiers’.
One of the club’s missions is to teach young people about the heritage and contributions of the Cavalry and Infantry Buffalo Soldiers in shaping the United States.
The group also administers a scholarship program for those who embody the “Buffalo Soldiers’ spirit through their dedication to service in both their communities and country.”
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