0001|                       HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 15
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                             EDDIE CORLEY
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE LEGISLATURE TO DECLARE FEBRUARY 20 AS BUFFALO
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0012|     SOLDIER DAY AND RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SACRIFICE OF
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0013|     THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS.
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0014|     
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0015|          WHEREAS, the first buffalo soldiers were named so by
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0016|     Native Americans because the hair and fierce fighting spirit
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0017|     of the soldiers personified the spirit of the revered buffalo;
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0018|     and
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0019|          WHEREAS, the buffalo soldiers comprised four Black
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0020|     regiments, the 9th U.S. cavalry, 10th U.S. cavalry, 24th U.S.
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0021|     infantry and 25th U.S. infantry, which were assigned to
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0022|     protect western settlements and railway and telegraph workers
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0023|     and to explore and map large sections of the American west;
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0024|     and
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0025|          WHEREAS, the buffalo soldiers of the old west earned
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0001|     twenty-five medals of honor, and although more than one
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0002|     million Black soldiers served as buffalo soldiers during World
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0003|     War II, fifty thousand seeing combat, none received the medal
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0004|     of honor until 1997 when President Clinton presented Vernon J.
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0005|     Baker a medal of honor for his valor, along with six other men
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0006|     who received the medal posthumously;
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0007|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0008|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 20 be declared "buffalo
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0009|     soldier day" in honor of Black soldiers who served throughout
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0010|     the history of the United States; and
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0011|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0012|     transmitted to the New Mexico veterans' service commission.
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0013|                              
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