Cathay Williams: The First Black Female Buffalo Soldier

Once Upon A Time In Black History

In this episode of Once Upon a Time in Black History, host Tamara Shiloh tells the remarkable story of Cathay Williams, a young woman who defied the odds to become the first documented African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Army. Born into slavery and conscripted by the Union Army as a cook during the Civil War, Williams later took the bold step of enlisting in the military under the alias William Cathay. Journey with us as we uncover her two years with the Buffalo Soldiers, the struggles she faced, and the powerful legacy she left behind.