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The panel prepares to broadcast at noon in front of a live audience.
As Another View celebrates its 12th anniversary, it also recently celebrated another milestone — the first live on-location broadcast since the start of the pandemic. Last week, the show’s host, producers and crew broadcast the program from the Hampton Roads Convention Center in front of a packed audience. The program shared the story of the famous Buffalo Soldiers, members of the African American Cavalry Regiments of the U.S. Army who served their country from 1867 to 1896. They were given the nickname "Buffalo Soldiers" by the Native Americans they encountered while serving in the western part of the United States. Modern day Buffalo Soldiers have traded live horses for iron horses — motorcycles! They share the legacy of those original members and give back to the community through scholarships, food giveaways and distributing school supplies.
The live show coincided with the Buffalo Soldiers national convention being held in Hampton Roads. Members from as far away as California, Hawaii and even Germany made their way to coastal Virginia for a week of learning, fellowship and community service.
Joining Another View Host Barbara Hamm Lee was a distinguished panel of guests that included Dr. Cassandra Newby Alexander, historian and dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Norfolk State University; Nathan Mack, Buffalo Soldiers national president; Ken Thomas, Buffalo Soldiers founder and Jerome Smalls, president of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club.
The panel discussed the history of the original Buffalo Soldiers and explained to listeners what the motorcycle club members do today. They also took questions from the audience.
Watch the Recorded Broadcast
The modern-day Buffalo Soldiers club was formed by Ken “Dreammaker” Thomas, who was a law enforcement officer in Chicago at the time. Though other motorcycle clubs existed in the city, he saw a need for a different type of club. “I knew there were a lot of riders out here who had the passion of riding motorcycles but wanted to get together be able to take their significant others with them and take their children, if it was that type of event, and enjoy themselves,” he said.
He described the typical events of other clubs as “not the type of events I wanted to take my wife or children to,” and not something he felt good supporting as a member of law enforcement.
“There was a need for individuals who wanted to do something, wanted give back to our community, wanted to do something that was respectful to African Americans,” he explained. “We wanted to get out there and say that we love motorcycling. We are an African American club, and we want to keep this history and tradition alive with the Buffalo Soldiers, and the main thing was showing our community that we are in the community and we’re not negative. We’re positive; we’re giving back.“
Members of the Buffalo Soldiers from across the country sat in to watch the broadcast.
“We are known across the country for what we call ‘doing good in the hood,‘” said Nathan “Motown” Mack. For many members that’s one of the highlights of being a part of the organization — the amount of community service work they do.
Dreammaker said for him the appeal of the club, besides a love of riding motorcycles, is the people and the relationships they build across chapters. “I have met people throughout this country and from other countries,” he said. “It is a family. It’s the people. I’m thrilled. Every time I go throughout the country I’m welcomed.”
Audience members honored the organization's oldest club member and his wife shown here with Another View Producer Lisa Godley.
Buffalo Soldiers now has more than 120 chapters in 38 states and South Korea, and a club in Germany also officially joined the family at this year's convention. Learn more about the national organization and their convention at their website.
About Another View
Another View is a weekly call-in radio talk show that discusses today's topics from an African American perspective. Hosted by Barbara Hamm Lee, the program airs every Thursday at noon on 89.5 WHRV-FM. Explore the archives.
