Did You Know? US Army Soldiers protected our National Parks until 1914. In 1903 Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry, led by Captain Charles Young, were garrisoned at the Presidio of San Francisco. Among other duties, they were stewards of Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. They rested in Los Banos on day 7 of their 16 day journey by horseback from the Presidio to Sequoia.

Yosemite’s Buffalo Soldiers

Posted September 16, 2009 at by David Ofwono, President.

Category:
Documentary

Ranger Shelton Johnson of Yosemite National Park takes visitors on a journey of Buffalo Soldier history, through music and story. While taking on the persona of a turn of the last century Buffalo Soldier, Ranger Johnson engages visitors with a friendly easy going but compelling demeanor. This PBS documentary is a must for anyone who has a interest or passion for American History and our National Parks! It debuts September 27th, 2009 at 9 pm here in the Central Valley.

Shelton’s fictional account of the character he portrays is entitled “Gloryland”; it became available in bookstores September 1, 2009.

Ranger Shelton Johnson was part of the Buffalo Soldier’s Passport to the Past Presentation at the 2008 Henry Miller Wild West Weekend , a festival celebrating over 100 years of cultural diversity in Los Banos.

Yosemite National Park is a place with much beauty and is steeped in national history. It’s somewhere that needs to be physically experienced to be fully appreciated. Much like how staying in historical hotels in manchester is a must if you want to experience real English culture in Manchester, if you want a real Yosemite experience you should camp or stay at the Yosemite lodge. Hearing Shelton’s story on Buffalo Soldiers is a must for completing your Yosemite experience.

1 Comment

James "Clip" Gray

On July 4, 2010

My is James J. Gray. My bike name is “Clip”. I am a proud member of the Columbus Buffalo Soldiers in Columbus Ohio. I was just surfing the web on this Sunday morning of 4th of July weekend when I discovered this article with it’s u tube video. It was the very first time seeing this video and very much enjoyed it. I’m sure my other sisters and brothers haven’t seen this article so I will be passing it on to them. This is why I became a Buffalo Soldier because of it’s rich American History. Thank you for this article and video. “We can we will”.