Deputy Cmdr. Michelle London-Marable, left, and Cmdr. Fred Marable, right, of the Arizona Centennial Legacy Buffalo Soldiers of the Arizona Territory appeared before the state House Government Committee to support the placement of a monument of Buffalo Soldiers in Wesley Bolin Plaza.The governor signed the bill on Monday.
Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill Monday to install a monument honoring Arizona’s Buffalo Soldiers at Wesley Bolin Plaza.
The Senate passed House Bill 2062, the Buffalo Soldiers Arizona Territory Monument, April 6 on a vote of 29-0-1. It was passed by the house on Feb. 17 on a vote of 57-0-3.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Walter Blackman, R-Apache Junction.
Efforts to install the monument at the state Capitol have been ongoing since 2017, when it was proposed by the Arizona Centennial Legacy Buffalo Soldiers of the Arizona Territory out of Mesa. The group raised the funds needed for the monument, which has been ready for installation since 2022.
The Daily Independent has reached out to Deputy Cmdr. Michelle London-Marable of the Arizona Centennial Legacy Buffalo Soldiers of the Arizona Territory for comment on the newly signed bill.
The Buffalo Soldiers Arizona Territory Monument stands 8 feet tall and spans 11 feet in width. It is made of granite and is double-sided. It will feature several pictures and narratives of the Buffalo Soldiers, “with soldiers mounted on horses and other designs,” according to the Arizona Centennial Legacy Buffalo Soldiers of the Arizona Territory’s website.
The Buffalo Soldiers were formed in 1866 as the 9th and 10th Cavalry, and the 24th and 25th Infantry Divisions, mostly protecting the Arizona Territory. At one time, all Buffalo Soldier regiments were headquartered in Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista. The 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions, the only Black divisions in World War II, were also stationed in Fort Huachuca.
The Buffalo Soldiers served until 1951, when the 24th Infantry, last serving in the Korean War, was disbanded after the U.S. military was desegregated.
Monuments to the Buffalo Soldiers exist in Tucson and Sierra Vista, and there is an exhibit about them inside the state Capitol. In addition, Camp Naco along the Arizona-Mexico border, which housed some Buffalo Soldiers as the Mexican Revolution raged, is being restored.
Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org. Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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