After the Civil War ended in 1865, freed slaves had the opportunity to become soldiers.

The government created six all-black regiments, because they wanted to keep white and black people apart.

The 9th regiment was first sent out to Texas to control uprisings among Native Americans.

The Native Americans named them the "Buffalo Soldiers" because of the way they fought like buffalo — strong and brave.

Later, the soldiers were sent to face many different enemies: thieves, outlaws, and Mexican Revolutionaries.

However, the Buffalo Soldiers experienced racism and discrimination, receiving old and bad equipment to fight with.

The white soldiers also gave them less food and weak horses for their missions.

This made life difficult for the soldiers because they had to make do with what they had to win.

Even worse, some of the places the Buffalo Soldiers had to go were almost uninhabitable.

The regiments had to travel through the boiling heat of the desert and the freezing cold of the plains in the winter.