William Jones Buffalo Soldier 1940-1944

Prisoner of the Korean War

20 Years Military Service

As a former soldier who spoke very little about his time as a prisoner of war in the Korean War, William Jones' request to preserve the memory of his time as a Buffalo Soldier is something his family took to heart. Following his death in 2009, his daughter, Jackie Jones-Hook, began formalizing a museum in honor of the all-black regiment of the United States military. In 2012, the Buffalo Soldier Museum in Tacoma opened its doors as a haven for students and members of the community to learn about a piece of history that took place between 1866 and 1944 – and is all too often forgotten in the textbooks.

The museum is one of only two of its kind in the country dedicated to honoring the Buffalo Soldiers, the other being the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston. Formally called the 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Museum, this nonprofit group educates the public through its vast collection of military artifacts, books, articles, and DVDs from Jones' time in the military.