On February 4, 2021, “Buffalo Soldiers Protecting the Santa Fe Trail” will open at the Rice County Historical Society’s Coronado Quivira Museum. On July 28, 1866, Congress passed legislation allowing African Americans to enlist in the country’s peace time military. The 10th Cavalry unit’s responsibilities were to assist and protect travelers and merchants on the Santa Fe Trail. In time, the 10th became known as the Buffalo soldiers.
Theresa Murphy, RCHS’s administrative assistant, serves as project director. The project is supported with a grant from Humanities Kansas. According to Humanities Kansas Executive Director Julie Mulvihill “This project’s exhibit and public programs promise to illuminate the Buffalo Soldiers and connect their story to today’s enduring struggles for justice and equality.”
Because of the coronavirus, the exhibit opening will be a come and go event from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 4. Attendees are required to wear masks and maintain social distances. The exhibit will be videoed and placed on Facebook (Coronado Quivira and website: cqmuseum.org). Four programs presented in May and June will also be available on the museum’s Facebook page.
The Coronado Quivira Museum is located at 105 West Lyon, Lyons, Kansas. Hours of operation are Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Call (620) 257-3941 for more information.
