Glover, D. (Executive Producer), & Haid, C. (Director). (1997). Buffalo
Soldiers. [videotape]. Atlanta, GA: Turner Pictures Worldwide Inc.
Buffalo Soldiers was about, H Troop, a black cavalry unit. This movie
was a post Civil war, post slavery movie. The men of H Troop were forced
to leave their barracks and sleep in tents on the ground to make room for
white soldiers. The men of H Troop were continuously put down and every
mistake they made was accounted to them being unintelligent, incompetent,
and unfit for the Army. The lead character Sergeant Washington Wyatt, played
by Danny Glover, was a smart man who loved the Army. However because of
the time and the circumstances, he had to underplay his intelligence and
make himself play a subordinate role to the white officers, some of whom
were ex-slave owners. Sergeant Washington Wyatt led H Troop through several
battles with "rebel" Apache Indians. The "rebels" were burning killing
white people and burning down their homes. They were doing so because whites
had been killing Apache people for years as well as taking over their lands.
H Troop was sent out to kill the leader of the "rebels," Apache war chief
Victorio. H Troop was led by white officers twice to kill Victorio, and
twice Sargent Wyatt led H Troop back to camp after each officer was mortally
wounded. Each time Victorio eluded them. In the end Sargent Wyatt and H
Troop proved to have more ethics, courage, and integrity than the white
officers at the camp.
1. Why didn't people want to lead H Troop?
2. What point did Victorio, the man not the myth, present to Wyatt?
3. Why did Scout tell Wyatt, "You have no Pride."?
4. What did the African American Soldiers have to do when they rode
into a
town?
5. What would you have done in the stand off with Victorio, if you
were in
Wyatt's position at Rattlesnake Springs?
Kelly Jett
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