Beyoncé Faces Backlash Over Buffalo Soldiers T-Shirt
During her Juneteenth performance in Paris on the “Cowboy Carter” tour, Beyoncé wore a T-shirt featuring Buffalo Soldiers—Black U.S. Army units active post-Civil War. The back of the shirt described their enemies as “warring Indians, bandits… and Mexican revolutionaries,” sparking criticism online for its framing of Native Americans and others as enemies of peace.
Buffalo Soldiers, formed in 1866, were Black men—formerly enslaved, freemen, and Civil War veterans—who served in the U.S. Army, fighting in many conflicts including wars against Indigenous peoples during westward expansion. Though often seen as American heroes, their role in subjugating Native and Mexican communities has come under scrutiny.
Critics, including Indigenous influencers and historians, say the shirt promotes anti-Indigenous rhetoric and glorifies violent American expansionism. Some argue Beyoncé’s use of the imagery is an attempt to reclaim the Western cowboy narrative for Black Americans. Others say it dangerously reinforces American nationalism.
The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum acknowledges the need to present a fuller, more honest account of history, including their role in Indigenous oppression. Historians note Beyoncé may have intended to highlight Black agency in American history, but the narrative is more complex—and controversial—than that.
A spokesperson for Beyoncé has not responded.