African American soldiers of the post Civil War period played a major role inthe Indian wars out West and were also active in Cuba and the Philippines.After the Civil War, one in five soldiers in the U.S. Army was black. Theseblack soldiers fought in eighty-five percent of the entanglements with NativeAmericans. In the West, the Buffalo Soldiers' duties extended beyond warfare;they built or rebuilt army posts, strung miles of telegraph wire, patrolled theU.S.-Mexico border, escorted settlers, protected herds of cattle and loads ofmail, assisted railroad crews and patrolled and helped develop the nationalparks. Hollywood has glamorized the Old West with images of the Cavalry comingto the rescue. In reality, the majority of those soldiers were most likelyblack.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Emerson Gallery will present severalpublic programs. On February 2, there will be a reception at the Gallery tocelebrate the exhibition and the start of Black History Month. Three filmswill also be offered: the landmark Birth of a Nation (1915) will bepresented on January 21, Oscar Micheaux's Body and Soul (1924) will beshown on February 3, and John Ford's Sergeant Rutledge (1960) onFebruary 10. On February 18, Marcy Sacks, Visiting Instructor of History,will present a slide-illustrated lecture, When the South Won the Civil War:Northern Fears and Nostalgia for the `Old Darkey'. For furtherinformation, times, and locations see enclosed Program.
The Emerson Gallery is located on the campus of Hamilton College, in ChristianJohnson Hall, directly behind the college chapel. The Gallery is wheelchairaccessible. Gallery hours are weekdays, 12-5, weekends, 1-5, during scheduledexhibitions. For further information, contact the Emerson Gallery at 315859-4396.
