By CASEY ADAMS
Cove Leader-Press
Laughter, questions and enthusiastic participation filled the meeting room at the Copperas Cove Public Library on Tuesday as Allen “Private Mack” Mack brought history to life for local youth during a Buffalo Soldiers presentation as part of the Summer Reading Program.
Dressed as a soldier and surrounded by historical artifacts, Mack immediately captured the attention of children and teens with humor, storytelling and audience participation.
Throughout the presentation, he encouraged attendees to ask questions, make guesses and interact with the objects on display.
At one point, Mack demonstrated a jaw harp, a small musical instrument carried by soldiers for entertainment. At another, he passed around artifacts and replicas, allowing children to hold pieces of history in their own hands.
“History is not a point. History is not a linear line. History is a web,” Mack told the audience. “We’re weaving a web.”
The presentation focused on the history of the Buffalo Soldiers, the United States Colored Troops and the events surrounding Juneteenth.
Rather than simply reciting dates and names, Mack connected historical events through stories designed to help young people see how history shaped the world around them.
Mack said he hopes audiences walk away seeing both history and themselves differently.
“When people come in and listen to my talk, I’m hoping that when they walk away from here, they will think about themselves and think about their future a little bit different than when they came in here,” Mack said.
One story that drew particular interest was that of Cathay Williams, the only documented female Buffalo Soldier.
Mack described how Williams disguised herself as a man named William Cathay in order to serve in the U.S. Army after the Civil War.
He also challenged common perceptions about Buffalo Soldiers, explaining that their service extended far beyond combat.
“These soldiers, when the Buffalo Soldiers came to Texas in 1867, actually did more building than they did fighting,” Mack said. “I probably carried a hammer more than I carried my pistol.”
Mack explained that Buffalo Soldiers helped build roads and infrastructure, served in law enforcement roles, protected settlements and assisted in establishing order across the Texas frontier.
While many historical presentations focus heavily on weapons, Mack said he intentionally highlights lesser-known artifacts and tools because they tell a broader story.
“One of the things that I try to do when I’m talking about talks, I try to talk about things that nobody else that’s doing living history is talking about,” Mack said.
His display included tools, personal items, engineering equipment and other artifacts that helped illustrate the daily lives of soldiers and civilians during the period.
Homeschool parent Norma Foster attended the presentation with her daughter, Alexia, after seeing it listed in the library’s Summer Reading Program schedule.
“You think you know one aspect of it, but he definitely filled in a lot of other pieces along the way,” Foster said. “I learned a lot.”
Foster said seeing artifacts and hearing stories firsthand helped make the history more meaningful than simply reading about it in a textbook.
“It definitely helps further the learning process and definitely brings it full circle,” Foster said. “It does kind of pique your curiosity to help you kind of want to go further.”
Alexia said one of the most interesting parts of the presentation was learning that Buffalo Soldiers carried many different tools and performed a variety of duties beyond military service.
Throughout the program, children remained engaged, frequently volunteering answers and asking questions. Many smiled and laughed as Mack mixed humor with historical facts and encouraged participation from audience members.
Mack said one of his goals is helping young people discover that history can be exciting and relevant.
“What I’m hoping to do is I’m hoping to get them to see that history is not as boring as a lot of us tend to see it,” Mack said.
The presentation was part of the Copperas Cove Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program, which offers educational and family-friendly activities throughout the summer months.
For Foster, programs like these play an important role in keeping children engaged in learning while school is out.
“Just keeping that curiosity, the love of learning,” Foster said. “It helps keep that thirst for learning continuing during the summertime.”
As the program concluded, attendees gathered around Mack’s display tables to examine artifacts up close, ask additional questions and continue exploring the stories behind the objects.
“We need y’all,” Mack told the audience. “We need y’all to step up and join us and help us tell these stories.”
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.