Beyoncé is an icon. What she wears gets attention. Case in point: She was recently seen rocking a Buffalo Soldiers t-shirt that sparked a lot of conversation. People are both calling her out and defending the t-shirt's messaging.
The Buffalo Soldiers are part of a tradition of Black heroism in a nation that routinely denies Black Americans our humanity. Their endurance despite systemic racism is powerful in its own right.
As enduring a legacy as the Buffalo soldiers hold for the Black community, the ugly side of their history cannot be denied. They played a critical role in displacing and subduing Indigenous communities. By fighting for a country that dehumanized them, they were themselves dehumanizing Indigenous people.
We can acknowledge the Buffalo Soldiers' courage while recognizing their complicity in colonialism. This isn't about diminishing their place in history.
Coloniality still shapes our world. As we battle to undo its damage to our community and way of life, we must also be willing to engage and reckon with our part in it. Uplifting Black history means engaging with its complexities. We must honor the Buffalo Soldiers and ask hard questions: Who were they made to fight, and why? The answers, uncomfortable as they are, deepen our understanding of oppression and resistance.