Buffalo Soldier Monument - Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
While most people think only of the Eddie Dixon statue
of a Buffalo Soldier on horseback, the Buffalo Soldier Commemorative
Area at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas consists of the Buffalo Soldier
Monument, the Circle of Firsts and the Walkway of Units which recognize
the significant "firsts" in the history of African American Soldiers and
units in the U.S. Army. It is part of a beautiful setting, overlooking
Merritt Lake.
General Colin Powell was the proponent of the monument,
when he noticed there was little recognition of the 9th & 10th Cavalry
at Fort Leavenworth while he was stationed here. He dedicated the monument
in 1992, when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest
military position in the Department of Defense.
The 10th Cavalry was an all African American regiment
which was formed at Fort Leavenworth on September 21, 1866 and was the
regiment that the Indians first called "Buffalo Soldiers." In time, all
of the all black regiments in the United States Army were call Buffalo
Soldiers and it was a sign of honor.
The Buffalo Soldier Monument is a statue which
was sculpted by Eddie Dixon of Lubbock, Texas. It is a 12'9" bronze statue
weighing 2,400 pounds.
The Circle of Firsts recognizes significant “firsts”
by African American soldiers and units in the U.S. Army. The busts were
also sculpted by Eddie Dixon. The first bust which was added to the Circle
of Firsts was that of Gen. Roscoe Robinson Jr., a West Point graduate
who was the first African American officer to achieve the rank of Army
four star general. The bust was dedicated on May 27, 1995.
The Walkway of Units recognizes units which were
the first. It includes the most recent monument - the monument to the Women
of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion, who were the first and only all
Black female unit to be deployed overseas during W.W.II.
| Current Fort Leavenworth Access requirements
Visitors to Fort Leavenworth who do not have a Department
of Defense issued ID card must stop by the Visitor
Control Center which is open Monday to Friday from 7AM - 4PM and Saturday
8AM - 4PM. where reception clerks will verify that the vehicle
driver has a valid license, registration and proof of insurance and that
all passengers sufficient ID. Following a routine background check, visitors
will receive a Temporary Pass and instructions allowing them to enter the
installation. This may sound like a obstacle, but Fort Leavenworth does
encourage visitors to this historic post. You are welcome here!The
Fort Leavenworth Visitor Control Center is closed on weekends and all Federal
Holidays. When the Visitor Control Center is closed, you may currently
obtain a one day visitor's pass at the Grant Gate.
Driver's licenses with "Real ID" may used for identification.
If you do not have Real ID, you must provide such documents as passport,
voter's registration card, social security card, birth certificate, etc.
Call (913) 684-3600 with questions in advance.
Non US residents may not be permitted on the fort and
should call (913) 684-3600 in advance.
Last updated April 11, 2022. |
Buffalo Soldier Statue by Eddie Dixon
6888th Central Directory Postal Battalion Monument and Lake Merritt
The 6888th
Central Postal Directory Battalion
Women of Determination, Dedication, and Distinction
The bust is LTC Charity Adams, the first commanding officer and highest
ranking black WAC in Europe.
This bust of 1st Sgt. Walter Morris, the first black enlisted Soldier
accepted for airborne duty,
represents the 555th Parachute Infantry Company, the first African
American paratroops unit in the Army.
It grew into a battalion and was nicknamed the "Triple Nickles."
Gen. Roscoe Robinson Jr.
First African American Army four star general in the United States
Army
2nd Lt. Henry Ossian Flipper was a former slave who was the first African
American
to graduate from West Point and the first black commissioned officer
in the Regular Army.
General Colin Powell
Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State
Brigadier General Benjamin Grierson,
Founder and first commander of the 10th Cavalry Regiment
9th Cavalry Medal of Honors |
10th Cavalry Medal of Honors |
Buffalo Soldier Statue
Buffalo Soldier Monument Map
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