Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club Delivers Spark To Kids In Need
BOSTON (CBS) - The Buffalo Soldiers of Boston drive around on big motorcycles dressed in gold and blue and they have big hearts for children.
The group, a non-profit national organization of African-American bikers, gets its name from the original Buffalo Soldiers - the first African-Americans established by Congress to serve in the U.S. Army in 1866.
"They were important for what they represented of African-American citizenship and freedom and aftermath of the Civil War," Brandeis Professor of African-American Studies Chad Williams said.
Today, the Buffalo Soldiers organization is 1,000 strong and serve in a different way. They are committed to serving kids in the community.
"It takes a commitment to community service, riding and being a good neighbor," member Michael Wilson told WBZ-TV.
On Tuesday the group presented a $10,000 check to the SPARK Center, a Boston Medical Center program that works with kids whose lives are affected by medical, development, social and emotional challenges.
"They are generous, compassionate and it's so valuable to children and our program as a whole," said SPARK Program Coordinator Barbara Hughes.
The group strives to keep the legacy of the original Buffalo Soldiers alive.
"We wanted to help and give back to people who need it most," President Dana Smith said.