House Passes Buffalo Soldiers National Parks Study Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) joined a bipartisan majority of his House colleagues in supporting H.R. 1022, the Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks Study Act. Congressman Bishop is one of the bill’s 28 co-sponsors.

H.R. 1022 directs the Secretary of the Interior to study alternatives for the commemoration and interpretation of the role of the Buffalo Soldiers (African-American troops who, in the late 19th century and early 20th century, came to be known as the Buffalo Soldiers) in the early years of the National Parks.

The legislation authorizes:

• A historical assessment of the Buffalo Soldiers who served in National Parks in the years before the establishment of the National Park Service (NPS);

• An evaluation of the suitability and feasibility of establishing a national historic trail commemorating the route traveled by the Buffalo Soldiers from their post in the Presidio in San Francisco to the Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks and to any other National Parks where they may have served;

• Identification of properties that could meet criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or criteria for designation as National Historic Landmarks; and

• An evaluation of ways of enhancing research, education, and awareness of the story of the Buffalo Soldiers' stewardship role in the National Parks.