'It's just not fair': Some Arizona buffalo soldiers supporters speak out on new monument

The Arizona buffalo soldiers, known for protecting the state as a Black U.S. Army regiment up until 1951, are receiving a monument in Wesley Bolin Plaza, but not all of the soldiers' supporters are happy with the way the monument will be built.

The monument will be 8 feet tall, 11 feet wide, made of granite and double-sided, according to Deputy Commander Michelle London-Marable, of the buffalo soldiers of the Arizona Territory, Mesa. She said it will feature six buffalo soldiers and their narrative, along with a statue in the middle. As for who is depicted on the statue, she said it's a surprise.

The buffalo soldiers were formed with six regiments in 1866. By 1869, they were down to four regiments. The 9th Cavalry, 10th Cavalry, 24th Infantry and 25th Infantry were the first to become known as buffalo soldiers.

In Arizona, buffalo soldiers were stationed at Fort Verde in the Verde Valley, Fort Grant in Willcox, Camp Navajo in Bellemont, Camp Little in Nogales, Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, and Arivaca in southern Arizona. Here, they helped to protect railroad builders, guard stagecoaches, protect mail, and patrol cattle along the Mexican border.

What monument is being built for the Arizona buffalo soldiers?

Originally proposed in 2018, the monument was known as Senate Bill 1179.

“Governor Hobbs voted for SB1179 in 2018 as a minority leader," said a spokesperson for the Governor's Office in a statement provided to The Arizona Republic. "She was glad to vote for it then, as she’s proud to have signed the bill this session that enshrined in the name of the Memorial the fact that the buffalo soldiers pre-dated Arizona as a state. The State of Arizona is proud to honor the memory of the buffalo soldiers. Their remarkable military legacy, courage, and dedication to a free and equal society will inspire many generations to come at the Wesley Bolin Plaza.”

The monument was officially created by the independent organization, the official Arizona Centennial Legacy Buffalo Soldiers of the Arizona Territory — Ladies and Gentlemen of the Regiment of Mesa, Arizona. Its official title is the Buffalo Soldiers Arizona Territory Monument.

According to Marable, $151,000 was raised and the monument has been paid for in full since March of 2022. At the current time, the monument is projected to be open to the public for viewing in July, with groundbreaking in May. Marable credited the funding to herself and her husband, Commander and Vietnam veteran Fred Marable. She said the two of them applied for grants, completed email blasts and handed out flyers.

The monument was modeled after The Arizona Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, which includes a picture of living people on the back. Fred and Michelle Marable will be placed on the backside of the monument, not the front, according to Marable.

"We raised the funds, it's our monument, there was no resources from the State Capitol," Michelle Marable said. "And as we have done over 500 events for the state of Arizona, we should and will be recognized on that monument because all the places we have been throughout Arizona, they know who we are. They don't know who those soldiers are on the monument."

Accompanied with the couple's photograph will be the names of the sponsors and partners who helped put the monument together, according to Marable.

'That would be disrespecting buffalo soldiers'

Michael Braun, the executive director of the Arizona Legislative Council said the monument has gone through the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission for historical accuracy, currently "necessary negotiations" with the proponents of the monument are taking place.

Braun said he has pointed out to the Marables the proportionality of the surface space that is being used to honor the sponsors and proponents versus the buffalo soldiers. He said he also had a few concerns regarding grammar. He said the negotiations will get figured out and then final design dimensions, location and maintenance requirements would be approved.

Those who have concerns with the monument can voice them to the office of Legislative Council, according to Braun. He said he has only heard from one person, but there could be others who have not contacted them.

Charles Hancock, vice president of the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers, said the monuments he has seen are not a reflection of current living individuals. He said the monument would feature three people inducted into the Arizona Hall of Fame.

"That is not a criteria to have a monument dedicated to an individual, otherwise all buffalo soldier reenactors and storytellers can have a monument," Hancock said.

For the monuments currently at Wesley Bolin Plaza, Hancock said none of them have recognizable individuals on them. He said if he looks at the monument, it looks like a direct representation of the Marables, not a buffalo soldier. He said he would rather the face be of buffalo soldiers like Henry Philip or Charles Young.

"I'm not a buffalo soldier, I'm a storyteller and if you erect a statue or monument with my likeness on, that would not be a reflection, that would be disrespecting buffalo soldiers," Hancock said.

Eric Reed, a former Phoenix police officer and buffalo soldier re-enactor, said he would be OK with the Marables' names being featured on the monument, but if their full likeness was on the statue then it would lack historical integrity. He said they deserve credit for the monument, but to have them placed on there would be "an affront."

Carlos Bazan, a member of several historical societies said the monument doesn't appear to be of real buffalo soldiers but rather the Marables themselves. He said he had no plans to visit the monument because it's "not true" and "not real." He said if they are going to make a monument then they should make it real and do it right.

"It's a real shame to me, I'm even embarrassed to look at it because it's just not fair," Bazan said.

'They served honorably and with distinction'

Sammie Parker, the founder of the Western Buffalo Soldier Association has done his fair share of research on the Arizona buffalo soldiers. When he heard of the monument being built, he said, "The more, the merrier."

While attending the University of Arizona, he picked up a pamphlet about the buffalo soldiers written by his professor and his research kicked off from there.

Parker said the buffalo soldiers are not in the history books, but Black soldiers have been involved with every major battle or conflict the United States has been in.

"There's no such thing as Black history, just history," Parker said. And they have left that out of the history books and they continue to whitewash our history."

For Parker, telling the history of the buffalo soldiers is important. He does this by wearing the uniforms so people can see what they looked like. He said his goal is to tell the truth to as many people who will listen.

"They served honorably and with distinction," Parker said. "They were our first actual border patrol. They basically were stationed out on the Texas and Arizona border and they served up until World War II"

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New Arizona buffalo soldiers monument causes controversy