After the Civil War, African Americans earned a permanent place in the United States Armed Forces. Many enlisted and were placed in the infantry and cavalry units assigned to the Texas Frontier. There, they scouted and mapped Texas lands; protected settlers, traders and the mail; installed telegraph lines, and carried out dozens of other tasks that shaped early Texas.

As part of Dream Week 2018, the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures is offering visitors a chance to experience life as a Buffalo Soldier. Learn how to pack a ruck sack for a frontier patrol, read maps, and track wild animals. Take part in a trap ball game and other activities the soldiers enjoyed while off duty.