"Inside Buffalo" film tells hidden history of African American World War II troops in Italy

[Blue_Tires]

The term "Buffalo Soldier" dates back to the 1860s, when black soldiers volunteered to fight for the U.S. Cavalry in the American West.

From the time of the Revolutionary War, African-Americans have fought in every major conflict in which the United States has been involved. Rarely, however, have they received recognition for their service.

"Inside Buffalo," a new 60-minute documentary to be shown Saturday in Oakland, highlights the service by the 92nd Infantry Division, an all-African-American unit, nicknamed the "Buffalo Soldiers Division," that fought in Italy during World War II.

The U.S. armed forces were still segregated and blood plasma still sorted according to race when the 92nd fought their way through the Germans' "Gothic Line" — one of the biggest battles of the entire campaign to push Hitler's forces out of Italy.

"Inside Buffalo" tells the little-known history of the 92nd Division's role in the battle through a patchwork of stories from the Italian campaign, including memories from Vernon Baker, the last-living African-American soldier awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II.

During one of the battles, Baker nearly single-handedly managed to hold off a German unit with hand grenades so that the wounded from his company could escape from the deadly barrage of machine-gun fire and mortars raining down on them.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_14367122