IIB 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4491 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 19, 2010 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

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. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

3 the National Parks Study Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

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

6 (1) In the late 19th century and early 20th cen7 tury, African-American troops who came to be 

8 known as the Buffalo Soldiers served in many crit9 ical roles in the western United States, including 

10 protecting some of the first National Parks. 

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

12 Buffalo Soldiers were assigned to Sequoia and Yo13 semite National Parks where they patrolled the 

14 backcountry, built trails, stopped poaching, and oth15 erwise served in the roles later assumed by National 

16 Park rangers. 

17 (3) The public would benefit from having op18 portunities to learn more about the Buffalo Soldiers 

19 in the National Parks and their contributions to the 

20 management of National Parks and the legacy of Af21 rican-Americans in the post-Civil War era. 

22 (4) As the centennial of the National Park 

23 Service in 2016 approaches, it is an especially ap24 propriate time to conduct research and increase pub25 lic awareness of the stewardship role the Buffalo 


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HR 4491 RFS

1 Soldiers played in the early years of the National 

2 Parks. 

3 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author4 ize a study to determine the most effective ways to in5 crease understanding and public awareness of the critical 

6 role that the Buffalo Soldiers played in the early years 

7 of the National Parks. 

8 SEC. 3. STUDY. 

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

10 conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and 

11 interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early 

12 years of the National Parks. 

13 (b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The study shall in14 clude— 

15 (1) a historical assessment, based on extensive 

16 research, of the Buffalo Soldiers who served in Na17 tional Parks in the years prior to the establishment 

18 of the National Park Service; 

19 (2) an evaluation of the suitability and feasi20 bility of establishing a national historic trail com21 memorating the route traveled by the Buffalo Sol22 diers from their post in the Presidio of San Fran23 cisco to Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks and 

24 to any other National Parks where they may have 

25 served; 


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1 (3) the identification of properties that could 

2 meet criteria for listing in the National Register of 

3 Historic Places or criteria for designation as Na4 tional Historic Landmarks; 

5 (4) an evaluation of appropriate ways to en6 hance historical research, education, interpretation, 

7 and public awareness of the story of the Buffalo Sol8 diers’ stewardship role in the National Parks, in9 cluding ways to link the story to the development of 

10 National Parks and the story of African-American 

11 military service following the Civil War; and 

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

13 Interior deems appropriate for this study. 

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

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

16 shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of 

17 the House of Representatives and the Committee on En18 ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report con19 taining the study’s findings and recommendations. 

Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2010. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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