Lest We Forget: Black Veterans & how they helped shape the Big Country
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Black soldiers have played a significant role throughout our nation’s history, with essential figures within the black community having deep connections to the Big Country.
It’s easy to open the pages of a history book and read about our past, but what about the stories that may not be present in our books? Although not every instance can be recorded, there have been numerous instances where the noble actions of certain individuals have gone unnoticed despite their significant contribution to the world we live in today. Black soldiers throughout history have played a crucial role in shaping various parts of the country, including Abilene.
Jeff Salmon, Executive Director of Frontier Texas, outlines how early settlers relied on the bravery of Buffalo Soldiers for prosperity in the area and how they became known by that name.
“The Indian groups learned to respect them. In fact, that’s really where we understand the name ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ to come from was the Native American soldier/warrior fighting against this soldier/warrior, and they saw a resemblance between the resilience of the buffalo and these soldiers who seemed to be very fierce and capable warriors,” Salmon explained.
While the efforts of the Buffalo Soldiers were vital in aiding in the settlement of the frontier, the contributions made by Black soldiers weren’t just relegated to the battlefield. Reverend Andrew L. Penns is the curator of the Curtis House Cultural Center, which is dedicated to highlighting black history in the Abilene area, with an entire room within Curtis House dedicated to black soldiers connected to Abilene.
Curtis House displays black history in Abilene
One of the figures he highlights in his collection is Staff Sergeant James Valentine Senior, a Veteran of the United States Army. Recently, the Abilene community honored Valentine by naming a park after him on North Pioneer Drive.
“He was a long-time coach at the All-Black school. Coached there for many years. Lots of students looked to him as a mentor and also a father figure, and he played a great part in shaping part of my life also,” Penns said.
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Reverend Penns, a Vietnam veteran, reflected on fighting overseas during the Civil Rights movement.
“We were there putting our life on the line to help freedom, and back here, we had Dr. King and others who were fighting for freedom,” Penns shared.
Penns noted that after the landmark case of Brown v. The Board of Education, the Elementary School located on Dyess Air Base used to fall under the umbrella of Abilene ISD and was the first public school to desegregate in Abilene. A marker for the occasion is placed in front of that same school to this day.
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