Evolution of the
Ninth and Tenth (Horse) Cavalry Association
The Ninth & Tenth (Horse) Cavalry Association traces its
beginning to 1966 in Kansas City, Missouri.
At that time, a group
of former cavalrymen got together to talk about
their military heritage and unique military experience. one hundred years had
passed since, by an Act
of Congress, two regiments of cavalry were created for colored men. Designated the 9th and 10th
Cavalry, these
regiments were part of a bold experiment to accept Black men into the regular army.
At the Kansas City meeting were veterans of the 9th and 10th
Calvary regiments. Many were assigned to
the regiments when
they were inactivated in March 1944. With their ranks growing thin, they looked
for ways to assure that information about the
exploits and accomplishments of
the original Black cavalrymen and their own experiences would not die with
them. It was
decided that this could be
accomplished by forming a 9th and 10th Cavalry association. It was also decided to hold annual
reunions
at different locations in the nation. It
was assumed that annual reunions would attract the men who had served in the
regiments and shared the common unique experience, would perpetuate the memory
of comrades who have passed on, and
would provide community awareness of their
rich military heritage.
Initially chartered as The Ninth & Tenth Cavalry
Association in Missouri, the name was later changed to The Ninth & Tenth
(Horse) Cavalry Association to distinguish it from modern cavalry units. In 1985, the charter of The Ninth & Tenth
(Horse)
Cavalry Association was transferred from Missouri to Kansas.
At the outset, regular membership in the association was
limited to persons who had served in the 9th and 10th Cavalry regiments.
In 1977,allied membership was extended to
United States through service either in the Armed Forces or their community.
An active effort of the Association is to stimulate public
awareness and interest in the history and achievements of the Buffalo
Soldiers. Most historians have
overlooked or suppressed the role played by Buffalo Soldiers in the settlement
and economic
development of the western half of the United States after the
Civil War. Moreover, their year for
service to this nation, both at
home and abroad, is just gradually becoming
known. To increase public knowledge of
their unique record of service, the
Association uses its resources to engage in
community activities that feature the contributions of Black men and
women in
American military history.
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