westward expansion

“Dear Reader: If you have visited California, you will find nothing in these pages to interest you; if you have not, they may serve to kill an idle hour." With this bit of stark understatement, the reader is introduced to California Illustrated, a journal published in 1852. This book chronicles the author’s journey with a group of travelers making their way to California. There’s whale spotting, a shipwide illness, and the travelers' arrival at the Islands of Turks and Caicos—and that’s just in the first chapter.

The African American soldiers who served in the Spanish-American War and the Indian Wars were known as the “Buffalo Soldiers.” Especially remarkable is that  both of these conflicts occurred during the latter half of the 19th century, meaning that some of Buffalo Soldiers had been enslaved just years prior. Yet in spite of this and other obstacles, they were known for serving with valor and honor. In addition, they were tasked with the controversial job of helping to "settle" western states, including Arizona.