IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1105 

Honoring the Buffalo Soldiers who were dishonorably discharged and ultimately had their honorable service restored following events which occurred in 1906 in Brownsville, Texas. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 

Mr. VELA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the Buffalo Soldiers who were dishonorably discharged and ultimately had their honorable service restored following events which occurred in 1906 in 

Brownsville, Texas. 

Whereas, on July 28, 1866, Congress established six allBlack regiments, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, to help 

rebuild the country after the Civil War and to patrol the 

remote western frontier during the Indian Wars and remained active until the Army was desegregated in 1951; 

Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers received their name because of 

the buffalo’s fierce bravery and fighting spirit; 


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•HRES 1105 IH 

Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers fought alongside White regiments in many conflicts and were instrumental in the exploration and settlement of western lands; 

Whereas Buffalo Soldiers were assigned to Fort Brown near 

the United States-Mexico border in 1906; 

Whereas following the death of a White bartender, 167 men 

serving in the all-Black 25th Infantry Regiment of the 

Army were dishonorably discharged by President Theodore Roosevelt after being accused of shooting up the city 

of Brownsville, Texas, and the killing of a White man; 

Whereas these Buffalo Soldiers were not given a chance to 

defend themselves in legal proceedings and there was no 

evidence of these soldiers committing any crimes; 

Whereas the dishonorable discharge of the Buffalo Soldiers 

led to the loss of their pensions and inability to serve in 

Federal civil service jobs; 

Whereas the members of the 25th Infantry Regiment were 

accused of this shooting following growing tension between the White residents of Brownsville and the Black 

soldiers, making this accusation racially charged; 

Whereas, in 1972, the Army conducted a new investigation 

and withdrew the order of 1906, exonerating the Buffalo 

Soldiers and restoring their records to show that each left 

military service with an honorable discharge; and 

Whereas only one out of 167 Buffalo Soldiers falsely accused 

was alive by the time the original 1906 order was reversed, and no action was taken to provide compensation 

to their descendants: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 1105 IH 

1 (1) honors the Buffalo Soldiers who were dis2 honorably discharged and ultimately had their hon3 orable service restored following events which oc4 curred in 1906 in Brownsville, Texas; 

5 (2) recognizes the dedication and courage of the 

6 Buffalo Soldiers serving in South Texas, across the 

7 country, and around the world; and 

8 (3) encourages all States to include in their 

9 educational curricula the history and contributions 

10 of the Buffalo Soldiers. 

Æ 


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