During the month, youth throughout the state will focus on the shared heritage of Texas by participating in educational programs related to the Buffalo Soldiers. The trail stretches from Port Isabel at Texas' most southern boundary, north to Denison and west to El Paso. In large, the trail follows the lines of defense established by frontier forts. In north central Texas the trail follows the same route as the Texas Forts Trail. Beginning at Jacksboro and Fort Richardson the trail continues past Fort Chadbourne to Fort Concho in San Angelo.
Prominent stops are Fort Phantom Hill in Abilene and Fort Griffin north of Albany.
African American units that fought in the Civil War were organized into two cavalry and six infantry regiments in 1866. Each regiment was made up of about 1,000 men. The infantry regiments were consolidated into two in 1869. From 1866 until the end of the Indian wars in the early 1890s, along with white army units, they guarded the frontier. As Pollard stresses in his living history demonstration, American Indians bestowed the name Buffalo Soldier on the men out of respect for their bravery and toughness.