Thirty years in the past, California Legionnaire Bobby McDonald was collaborating with creator/sportswriter Michael Hurd on a ebook that might share the legacy of traditionally Black faculties throughout the panorama of faculty soccer. Whereas doing analysis for “Black Faculty Soccer, 100 Years of Historical past, Training and Pleasure”, McDonald got here throughout a undeniable fact that impressed him to study extra in regards to the Buffalo Troopers – a seek for data that has turn into a ardour for the U.S. Navy veteran.
McDonald is in Missoula, Mont., this week for the Buffalo Troopers Iron Riders Gathering – an occasion of which he’s co-chair of the planning committee and put collectively to commemorate the one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary of the Iron Riders historic 1,900-mile bicycle trip from Missoula to St. Louis. Throughout a meet-and-greet Tuesday night time, McDonald recalled how he first took an interest within the Buffalo Troopers, and why it continues to be a ardour for the member of Newport Harbor Publish 291 in California.
“In a single a part of the ebook, there’s a piece that claims the 62nd and sixty fifth (coloured infantry regiments) in 1866 – had pooled their sources to provide you with $5,000 … to include Lincoln College in Jefferson Metropolis, Mo.,” McDonald mentioned. “Lincoln College was based by the Buffalo Troopers. So now I’m doing a soccer ebook, however behind my thoughts the Buffalo Troopers pop.”
McDonald, who has an in depth background in each advertising and marketing and gross sales, now serves as president and govt director of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County, Calif. Via a collaboration between the Chamber and Explorer Studios, two award-winning instructional movies have been produced: “Constructing the Dream” and “Historical past of the Buffalo Troopers.” He’s routinely invited former Buffalo Troopers to Chamber occasions throughout his management tenure.
McDonald, who serves on the Division of Veterans Affairs’ Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans, is also a Buffalo Troopers reenactor and member of the ninth and tenth (Horse) Calvary Affiliation. Via that, he met fellow Legionnaire Ron Jones; the pair would gown of their Buffalo Troopers gear and participate in numerous occasions and parades, together with the Match of Roses Parade. They began using horses however later switched to bicycles.
McDonald and Jones headed to Idaho in 2018 to participate in a trip at Coeur d-Alene, the place McDonald discovered extra in regards to the Buffalo Troopers’ involvement with the “Massive Burn”, a collection of fires in 1910 that introduced the Buffalo Troopers stationed at Fort Missoula into Idaho to help in saving the cities of Avery and Idaho.
On the best way again from Idaho the group stopped in Missoula. He’d been conscious of the Iron Riders previous to the go to however started to study extra. “It began clicking. There have been some tales right here,” McDonald mentioned. “And that’s how we began engaged on this occasion.”
McDonald bought the Affiliation concerned, and the result’s a week-long occasion that included a five-mile bicycle trip, numerous displays on segregated army models, a poker run and baseball sport, and different occasions all through Missoula.
“I’m doing this as a result of there’s some constructive tales right here,” McDonald mentioned. “There are constructive tales about what the Buffalo Troopers did. They constructed these cities. They marshalled the cities. They paved the roads. They painted the buildings. They have been the regulation.
“It’s a ardour now. And the underside line right here is training. It’s constructive historical past and interesting completely different individuals. And I’m very blessed to be concerned with this.”
McDonald is the son of Vernon McDonald, who served with the segregated 1321st Engineer Normal Service Regiment in Europe and Okinawa throughout World Warfare II. Vernon handed away at age 97 in January of this 12 months. Bobby mentioned his father didn’t speak about his army service fairly often till a bit later in life.
At a Chamber occasion in 2016 honoring the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Buffalo Troopers, Vernon was one of many Buffalo Troopers in attendance. Bobby mentioned his father had a “booming voice,” one thing others in attendance would quickly study.
“This system was attending to the tip, and he stood up and mentioned, ‘That’s my son, and I’m pleased with him,’” Bobby mentioned. “After which he sat down.
“That’s what he would say immediately. He’d say, ‘good job son. How ‘bout that?’”
