I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4491 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of alternatives 

for commemorating and interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers 

in the early years of the National Parks, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 21, 2010 

Ms. SPEIER (for herself, Mr. CLAY, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. JACKSON LEE

of Texas, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. BACA, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. BISHOP of 

Georgia, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. 

BUTTERFIELD, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. 

COHEN, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. COSTA, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DAVIS of Alabama, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Mr. ELLISON, 

Mr. FARR, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FILNER, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. AL GREEN of 

Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HONDA, Mr. LEWIS

of Georgia, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Mr. 

MEEKS of New York, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Ms. MOORE of 

Wisconsin, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. RANGEL, 

Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. RUSH, 

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SESTAK, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. THOMPSON of 

Mississippi, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. WATSON, and 

Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a 

study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting 

the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early years of 

the National Parks, and for other purposes. 


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•HR 4491 IH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Buffalo Soldiers in 

5 the National Parks Study Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) In the late 19th century and early 20th cen9 tury, African-American troops who came to be 

10 known as the Buffalo Soldiers served in many crit11 ical roles in the western United States, including 

12 protecting some of the first National Parks. 

13 (2) Based at the Presidio in San Francisco, 

14 Buffalo Soldiers were assigned to Sequoia and Yo15 semite National Parks where they patrolled the 

16 backcountry, built trails, stopped poaching, and oth17 erwise served in the roles later assumed by National 

18 Park rangers. 

19 (3) The public would benefit from having op20 portunities to learn more about the Buffalo Soldiers 

21 in the National Parks and their contributions to the 

22 management of National Parks and the legacy of Af23 rican-Americans in the post-Civil War era. 

24 (4) As the centennial of the National Park 

25 Service in 2016 approaches, it is an especially apVerDate Nov 24 2008 02:52 Jan 22, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4491.IH H4491

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•HR 4491 IH

1 propriate time to conduct research and increase pub2 lic awareness of the stewardship role the Buffalo 

3 Soldiers played in the early years of the National 

4 Parks. 

5 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author6 ize a study to determine the most effective ways to in7 crease understanding and public awareness of the critical 

8 role that the Buffalo Soldiers played in the early years 

9 of the National Parks. 

10 SEC. 3. STUDY. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior shall 

12 conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and 

13 interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early 

14 years of the National Parks. 

15 (b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The study shall in16 clude— 

17 (1) a historical assessment, based on extensive 

18 research, of the Buffalo Soldiers who served in Na19 tional Parks in the years prior to the establishment 

20 of the National Park Service; 

21 (2) an evaluation of the suitability and feasi22 bility of establishing a national historic trail com23 memorating the route traveled by the Buffalo Sol24 diers from their post in the Presidio of San Fran25 cisco to Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks and 


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•HR 4491 IH

1 to any other National Parks where they may have 

2 served; 

3 (3) the identification of properties that could 

4 meet criteria for listing in the National Register of 

5 Historic Places or criteria for designation as Na6 tional Historic Landmarks; 

7 (4) an evaluation of appropriate ways to en8 hance historical research, education, interpretation, 

9 and public awareness of the story of the Buffalo Sol10 diers’ stewardship role in the National Parks, in11 cluding ways to link the story to the development of 

12 National Parks and the story of African-American 

13 military service following the Civil War; and 

14 (5) any other matters that the Secretary of the 

15 Interior deems appropriate for this study. 

16 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after funds are 

17 made available for the study, the Secretary of the Interior 

18 shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of 

19 the House of Representatives and the Committee on En20 ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report con21 taining the study’s findings and recommendations. 

Æ 


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