Tucson breaks ground on Buffalo Soldier Memorial

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - The city of Tucson made history on Thursday, Oct. 29, as it broke ground on a tribute to the all-black regiment sent west to tame the frontier - the legendary Buffalo Soldiers.

Currently, there are no monuments in Tucson that recognize or honor the contributions Black Americans made in settling southern Arizona and the West.

To help educate the Tucson community about the rich history of these soldiers, the Greater Southern Arizona Area Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers, Tucson Parks and Recreation, and city of Tucson Ward 5 Council Member Richard Fimbres, came together to build a memorial.

“We came up with the consensus that we should tell the whole story, as much as possible, of Buffalo Soldier’s involvement in Arizona and the southwest,” Tucson Buffalo Soldier Co-Chair, Jon Covington said.

Covington added that this memorial has been a goal for more than 20 years.

It will be made from granite and is expected to take a year to engrave.

On the front of the monument, will be a short history of the Buffalo Soldiers in the west.

Other details will include a map of all the locations the Buffalo Soldiers were stationed.

The memorial will be located at the Quincie Douglas Center.

The neighborhood surrounding the Center is one of the oldest historically Black neighborhoods in Tucson.

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