Candidates for Fort Powell Military Academy, Bumble Bee, Arizona Photo: Valerie Andrews/ABSRA
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America's Buffalo Soldiers Re-enactors
Association
The ABSRA
commemorates the courage and patriotism of African-American
soldiers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry
regiments who served in the decades following the Civil War. They
were nicknamed "buffalo soldiers" by Native Americans out of
respect for their valor in battle. In addition to protecting the
western frontier, they served in several other campaigns, from the
Spanish-American War through World War II. Headquartered in
Scottsdale, ABSRA was founded in 1990 by former Marine, Charles F.
Long II, to preserve and promote the legacy of the soldiers,
particularly as a message of courage under fire for disaffected
youth. ABSRA members mentor at-risk youth in the Phoenix area in a
non-nonsense military environment, providing programs for
intellectual stimulation, challenge, and discipline.
Fort Powell, named in honor of General Colin Powell
for his contributions in raising America's consciousness to the
history of the Buffalo Soliders, is the home of the America's
Buffalo Soldiers Re-enactors Association. It will house America's
Buffalo Soldier Military Academy, a college preparatory boarding
school, grades 7 - 12, which will open its doors in fall 2001. The
student body will be comprised of 150 students, at least one
student representing each state. Promoting a highly disciplined
learning environment, Ft. Powell, staffed by 37 ABSRA members, will
have classrooms, a computer lab and communications center, Buffalo
Soldier Museum, an infirmary, chapel, mess hall, library,
gymnasium, lap pool, track and obstacle course, general store, gift
shop, and barn.
In other activities, the Buffalo soldiers re-enactors
provide a color guard and an honor guard for various events,
deliver lecturers on historic and educational topics, appear in
feature films and documentaries, perform in parades and Wild West
shows, participate in corporate trail rides and cook-outs, and
serve on funeral details.
Project documentation comprises a proposal integrated
with copies of color photos, three color 8 x 10 photographs, and a
photo log.
Originally submitted by: Ed Pastor, Representative (2nd District).
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The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.
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