Beyoncé faces backlash over Juneteenth concert t-shirt: Who were the Buffalo Soldiers and what is the controversy?

Hindustan Times

5 hours ago

A shirt Beyoncé wore during her Juneteenth concert in Paris has earned the singer backlash from fans and Indigenous voices across the US. According to The Associated Press, the T-shirt featured a description of the Buffalo Soldiers that referred to their enemies as 'warring Indians, bandits, cattle thieves, murderous gunmen, bootleggers, trespassers, and Mexican revolutionaries.' That wording appeared on the back of the shirt and Beyoncé's official website. Beyoncé's shirt featuring Buffalo Soldiers has sparked controversy, with historians noting the complex legacy of these soldiers. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes(REUTERS)
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Beyoncé's recent album, Cowboy Carter, celebrated the contributions of Black Americans to country music and Western identity. The pop star made history by becoming the first Black woman to top Billboard's country chart. At the 2025 Grammys, the album won Album of the Year.
A post from popular Indigenous platform @indigenous.tv summed up the online reaction in one question: 'Do you think Beyoncé will apologize (or acknowledge) the shirt?' Who were Buffalo Soldiers?
The Buffalo Soldiers reportedly were Black US Army regiments formed after the Civil War in 1866. They served in major wars through 1951. While many admire their role in US military history, the soldiers also participated in violent campaigns against Indigenous tribes and Mexican groups during America's westward expansion.
Critics say the wording on Beyoncé's shirt echoes harmful historical narratives, AP reported.
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At the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston, staff say they have worked in recent years to revise how these soldiers' stories are told. Cale Carter, the museum's director of exhibitions, said earlier versions of the story romanticized the frontier and ignored the harm done to Native peoples. 'You really didn't see a change in that narrative until recently,' he told The Associated Press.
Michelle Tovar, the museum's education director, added that honest discussions about American history are becoming harder to have in schools.
Tad Stoermer, a historian at Johns Hopkins, believes Beyoncé used imagery like the Buffalo Soldiers to reclaim space in American culture. However, historian Alaina E. Roberts said their legacy is more complicated. FAQs Who were the first Native Americans?
The first Native Americans are believed to be descendants of people who migrated from Asia to North America over 15,000 years ago. What are Native American tribes?
Native American tribes are distinct, sovereign communities with their own cultures, languages, and governments, recognized by the US federal government. What is the history of Native Americans in the United States?
Native American history includes centuries of rich cultural traditions followed by colonization, displacement and ongoing struggles for rights and recognition. What is life like for Native Americans today?
Native Americans today live in both urban areas and on reservations, continuing to preserve their traditions while facing economic, political, and social challenges.