campnaco1

An Evening with Jeff Haozous

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:58:13 GMT

Apaches and Earth Mother

Thursday, April 23rd, 5:30 PM

Free Online Event, Register Here

We’re honored to invite you to a special upcoming program with Jeff Haozous, co-founder of Ndé Bikéeyá, the Chiricahua Apache Land Trust. In this virtual talk, Apaches and Earth Mother , Jeff will explore how the Chiricahua Apache people have expressed their deep connection to the natural world through language, stories, and culture.

His work—both as a leader and as someone living in the Cochise Stronghold—offers powerful insight into the enduring relationship between people and place in the borderlands.

Endangered Foods of the Borderlands

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:53:45 GMT

Endangered Foods of the Borderlands ��

Thursdays, April 16th, April 30th, & May 14th, 6:00 PM

Goar Park Lunches, 89 Main Street, Bisbee

Free to Attend (Donations welcome and benefit Naco Heritage Alliance and Goar Park Lunches) - Register Here

This April, Camp Naco Fellow Marilyn Noble brings Endangered Foods of the Borderlands to life—a three-part series exploring the deep histories behind everyday foods of the region.

Through tastings and conversation, Marilyn draws on her work as a journalist, author, and food writer to connect dishes like chiltepín, empanadas, and masa to the people and stories of the borderlands. It’s part history, part storytelling, and part shared table.

As part of her Naco Heritage Alliance Fellowship, and working in partnership with Goar Park Lunches, Marilyn is uncovering overlooked narratives of this region, and this series offers a delicious entry point into that larger exploration—one rooted in community, memory, and resilience.

��️ April 16th - The Chiltepin: The Hot Mother of All Chiles

�� April 30th - From Cornish Pasties to Mexican Empanadas: Hand-held Meals for Miners

�� May 14th - Masa: From Dried Corn to Tortillas, the Secrets to Making Nixtamal

Come learn, discuss, and taste! Register here for one session, or all three!

Camp Naco Walking Tour

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:42:22 GMT

Join us for a walking tour of historic Camp Naco

Friday, April 10, 2026

2118 West Newell Street, Naco

Free to attend, Registration Required

Take a walk through history at Camp Naco.

Join us for a guided tour exploring the site, the story of the Buffalo Soldiers, and the ongoing work to preserve this historic place.

Register here to reserve your space today!

Free Online Event: Early 20th Century African Americans in Mexico

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:54:38 GMT

Free Online Event: Early 20th Century African Americans in Mexico

Thursday, February 12, 5-6:00 PM MST

Online and Free to Attend

During the era of the Mexican Revolution, many African Americans traveled and lived in Mexico. Join Naco Heritage Alliance with special guest Dr. Laura Hooton as she provides a glimpse into the experiences of some of these men and women, including activists, businessmen, soldiers, writers, athletes, and travelers.

About The Speaker

Dr. Laura Hooton is an Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the History Department at New Mexico State University. She teaches and writes about African American history, borderlands history, migration and immigration, and social movements and civil rights. She is the co-author of Almost All Aliens: Immigration, Race, and Colonialism in American History and Identity , Second Edition. Her next book, Little Liberia: A Dream of Black Freedom in the US-Mexico Borderlands , will be published this year.

Fridays in January - Borderlands History Educational Series

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:37:49 GMT

January 16, 23, & 30, 2-3:30 PM

Copper Queen Library - 6 Main Street, Bisbee

Free to attend

In partnership with Copper Queen Library, Naco Heritage Alliance is excited to present this free, three-part educational series on the history of the Borderlands with Becky Orozco, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, Cochise College. Attend all three events, or one or two that suit your interests.

January 16 - The Archaeology of Cochise County

For more than 10,000 years people have called this region home. Learn about the prehistoric residents of our region from the earliest residents who hunted now extinct mammoths through the first indigenous peoples who encountered explorers from Spain and the United States.

January 23 - La Frontera: A History of Our Border Region

Cochise County has always been a borderlands. From prehistoric times the mountains and valleys of the sky islands have been corridors for explorations and conquest. The first Spanish explorers traveled these pathways in the 16th Century. Mexico's battles for independence and then in revolution often focused on this northern frontier. The westward push for gold and Manifest Destiny established the current line. Learn how these stories still resonate and shape today's borderline.

January 30 - A History of Conflict: Camp Naco, the Bisbee Deportation and World War I
Our small section of the US-Mexico border has been the focus of major military and civil conflicts in the early 20th Century. Learn how the stories of these people and events intertwined in this small region of Cochise County and how work continues int he present to preserve this history.

December 19th - Adobe & Gingerbread

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:13:53 GMT

Friday, December 19th, 4:00 - 7:00PM

Boys & Girls Club of Bisbee - 405 Arizona Street, Bisbee, AZ

Free to attend with registration, $35 Custom Gingerbread Barracks Kit available while supplies last.

Register to attend and/or reserve your gingerbread kit at https://givebutter.com/adobe-gingerbread.

Join us for Adobe & Gingerbread, a family-friendly evening that blends tradition, creativity, and a little bit of borderlands flavor. Enjoy a special presentation on traditional adobe building by Zach Palma of Sky Island Alliance, tasty food from Goar Park Lunches, and plenty of hands-on holiday fun. Custom Camp Naco–inspired gingerbread barracks kits will be available for purchase, and the event is free with reservation. Come learn something new, build something sweet, and kick off the holidays with our community!

Dec 5th - Chulas Fronteras Screening at Central School Project

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 23:12:33 GMT

Friday, December 5th, 7:00 PM

Central School Project Theater - 43 Howell Ave, Bisbee, AZ

Free to attend, refreshments by donation.

Central School Project and Naco Heritage Alliance have partnered up to deliver this special movie night in the Central School Project theater! Harrod Blank, Les Blank's son, also a filmmaker and truly a maker of magic and wonder in Douglas with his Art Car world, will be present and will lead a Q&A following the screening of this timeless beautiful movie that speaks to immigration, and celebrates food, music, resilience, and love of life.

Doors open at 6:30 PM.

Nov. 11 - The Warrior Tradition

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 21:21:03 GMT

Veterans Day, Tuesday November 11, 2pm
Rothery Education Center – 3305 E. Fry Blvd, Sierra Vista
Food provided by Tee Pee Fry Bread of Huachuca City
Free to attend, registration required and space is limited
Register here: https://givebutter.com/WarriorTradition

Join the Naco Heritage Alliance for a Veterans Day movie night. This one-hour, national documentary tells the astonishing, heartbreaking, inspiring, and largely-untold story of Native Americans in the United States military. Come learn more about Native Americans and their stories related to the military and the United States. Our sincere thanks to Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona ( www.lfsaz.org ) for making this event possible. Food will also be provided at the event by Tee Pee Fry Bread, offering plenty of options, from sweet to savory.

"The Warrior Tradition describes the complex Native American situation in our society. Why would Indian men and women put their lives on the line for the very government that took their homelands? The film relates the stories of Native American warriors from their own points of view – stories of service and pain, of courage and fear." - PBS.org

For additional information or to register by phone, contact Program Associate Cesilia Garcia at (520) 910–1169

Oct. 25 & Nov. 8 - A Taste of African American History

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 15:26:36 GMT

Our fellow Beverely Elliot with the African American Museum of Southern Arizona (AAMSAZ) is hosting 'A Taste of African American History' with three food trucks in Tucson on October 25 and Bisbee on November 8 .

The African American Museum of Southern Arizona with a $20,000 fellowship from the Naco Heritage Alliance, is proud to present this event designed to share with you, the community, the cultural context of food in African American celebrations. Let them take you on a delicious adventure as three separate food trucks will prepare grab and go soul food delicacies that are historical and traditional to the culture including authentic Buffalo Soldier fare and foods central to Juneteenth celebrations, Freedom Day fare of New Year’s Day delights!

Click the links below to register for this free event. Space is limited, so sign up today!

October 25 Tucson event

Willie Blake Community Park, 3525 South Naco Vista, Tucson, AZ 85713

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/.../a-taste-of-african...

November 8 Bisbee event
Historic Warren Ballpark, 99 Arizona St., Bisbee AZ 85603
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/.../a-taste-of-african...

Sept 20 - Camp Naco Walkthrough

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 16:29:10 GMT

Saturday, September 20, 4pm

2118 West Newell St., Naco, AZ

Join us for an exciting walkthrough at Camp Naco. Explore the historic grounds, learn about its significance, and immerse yourself in a unique experience. The Camp Naco project is at a pivotal point, and we are inviting the public to view our
progress and see our plans for the future.

This in-person, free event is a great opportunity to connect with history by learning more about the Buffalo Soldiers and the surrounding area's history. Don't miss out on this chance to step back in time and discover the charm of Camp Naco. The walkthrough will be led by Executive Director Jeremy Fricke and Construction Manager Mike Normand .

NOTE: This event is limited to only 40 people. This will also be the last chance to see some of the buildings before rehabilitation starts late September, so don't miss out on this opportunity!

August 2 - 2025 National Buffalo Soldier Day

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:30:03 GMT

Come and celebrate the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers! The 2025 Tribute event, hosted by the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers (SWABS) honors the legacy of the Buffalo Soldier Stamp with the theme:  “The Buffalo Soldier Beyond the Call.”

This memorable event features keynote speaker Colonel Richard “Dick” Toliver, USAF (Retired), a distinguished Air Force Veteran and author, as well as a presentation by National Buffalo Soldier Historian Dr. John P. Langellier, and the presentation of the SWABS Buffalo Soldier Legacy Award. With live entertainment by Freddie J playing jazz and old-school R&B, and great food.

Camp Naco is proud to sponsor this free event for the community. Thanks as well to our co-sponsors, the Sierra Vista African American Community Coalition and the Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona.

June 21 - Juneteenth "Turn Hate-2-Love" event

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 17:33:57 GMT

Rothery Education Center
3305 E. Fry Blvd, Sierra Vista, AZ
Saturday, June 21st, 10am-5pm

$5 suggested donation.

In collaboration with the Sierra Vista African American Community Coalition, the Naco Heritage Alliance is proud to sponsor this fun filled family event! Featuring music by Reggae artists, R&B hits, African drumming, DJ’s, poetry, featured speakers & more. Join us in celebrating Juneteenth!

Schedule of performers (subject to change):

10:00am Opening: Queen Mambo
10:15 Welcome: Queen A/ Bernadette/Ashiya
10:30 Najashi: Reggae music
10:40 Sharon Simonton
11:00 Baba Shibambo: African Drumming
12:00 Buffalo Soldier Presentation -Demetria Warren
12:30 Boots on the ground line dance - Skate crew
12:45 Juneteenth Mexico Celebration film in Conference room
12:45 Halima Human Design Presentation
1:00 Poetry reading
1:15 Gato Afro: Latino music
2:00 Sisters on Point - Tribute to Angie Stone
3:00 Reggae Headliner: Ranking Joe

May 29 - Clues of the Past

Thu, 08 May 2025 16:14:47 GMT

Clues of the Past: Tales from a Camp Naco Archaeology Internship
Thursday, May 29, 4:30pm

915 South Tovreaville Road

Join two of our former interns, Madeline Colley and Hailey Smith (Cochise College), as they share a presentation of their experiences at the historic Camp Naco site. This is also a chance for the public to view a display of many of the artifacts they studied and documented over the course of the past 9 months. Free event, refreshments will be provided.

Photo: Taryn Smith

April 26 - Baseball on the Border

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 06:29:05 GMT

The Original Cactus League

Baseball on the Border

April 26, 10am-Noon

Local historian Mike Anderson will be leading a tour of the original Camp Naco baseball field, located at the corner of W. Newell Street and S. Willson Road, and sharing the history of the original Cactus League. The original Cactus League was a loose consortium of teams during the first decade and a half of the 20th Century from Bisbee, Douglas, Clifton, Morenci, Cananea, Fort Huachuca, Tucson and sometimes Naco. Afterwards, the event continues at Naco Elementary where Mike will share a presentation on historic baseball. This event is free to attend, join us!

March 25 - Contractors Open House

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 15:24:15 GMT

Contractors Open House
Date: Tuesday, March 25 from 11am – 2pm
Location: Bisbee Council Chambers - 915 S. Tovreaville Rd.
In collaboration with Naco Heritage Alliance and Durazo Construction

Find out more about upcoming opportunities at this informal event. We are seeking licensed, bonded and insured contractors in HVAC, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, painting, concrete, windows and doors, carpentry, drywall, and low voltage cabling. Free to attend, refreshments provided.

March 22 - Dr. John Langellier Fireplace chat and book signing

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:54:31 GMT

Date: Saturday, March 22, 6 PM

Event Address: Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum

Please note: our Fireplace Chat at the Museum has reached capacity, but there is another great opportunity to meet the author and purchase a signed copy of his newest book. Dr. Langellier will be available from noon to 4 at Bisbee Books and Music, located in the Mercantile on Main. Be sure to stop by!

Join us for a Question & Answer session and book signing with Buffalo Soldier author and military historian
John Langellier, Ph.D.

In 1881, the first Buffalo Soldiers arrived in Arizona pursuing elusive Apaches. Over the following decades, African Americans from the Tenth U.S. Cavalry and Twenty-Fourth and Twenty-Fifth Infantry added to the laurels won by the Ninth U.S. Cavalrymen. For more than six decades, Black soldiers served with honor, from campaigns against determined Native Americans to facing dangers along the turbulent border as the Mexican Revolution raged. During the dark days of World War II, they prepared for combat against foes both abroad and at home. All the while, they faced an ever-present, persistent enemy: racism.

Author John P. Langellier brings to life the rich history of Buffalo Soldiers in the Copper State.

Registration is required for this event, as there are a limited number of spaces available. Register HERE

Feb 27 - Online lecture with Margaret Hangan

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 15:23:56 GMT

Register for the lecture HERE

Thursday, February 27 at 7pm

People of African descent first arrived in the southwest with the early Spanish explorers in the late 1500s as both free and enslaved persons. After the Mexican American war in 1848, early African American Mountain men such as Jim Beckworth roamed the west, and enslaved Africans accompanied their owners as they traveled to the gold fields in the Sierra Nevada Mountains before California entered the Union as a free state in 1850.

In 1860 the first federal census of the Arizona Territory noted a very small percentage of "free" African Americans in Arizona. But by the 1890's, the population of African Americans in Northern Arizona was significantly higher due to companies of U.S. Colored Troops (aka Buffalo Soldiers) being stationed at Fort Verde and Fort Whipple. Construction of the Atlantic and Pacific Railway was completed by 1882 opening Coconino County to ranching and logging interested, and homesteading.

African Americans came west to homestead and take advantage of economic opportunities such as ranching where African American men worked as cooks and cowboys, and as laborers in construction and in the mills in Flagstaff. It was not until the 1920s, when the post-Civil War lumber industry of the south started to dramatically decline, that a diaspora of African Americans from the south to the northwestern lumber industry began as southern lumber companies, like the Louisiana based Cady Company left the south for better opportunities in California, Oregon, and Arizona. Soon lumber centered communities across Northern Arizona like Winslow, Flagstaff and Williams saw an influx of skilled African American workers to the area.

This online (Zoom) presentation will talk about the history of African Americans in relationship to the Grand Canyon area and the Timber Industry. Presenter Margaret Hangan has worked as a professional archaeologist since 1989. Originally from California, she moved to Williams, Arizona in 2007 and has worked for both the Kaibab and Tonto National Forests. She recently retired from the Forest Service in January 2025. Margaret has served on many boards and advisory committees through out the years and currently is a member of the NAU School of Forestry Advisory Committee, the Arizona State Historic Sites Review Committee and chair the Historic Preservation Commission for the City of Williams. She is currently the Chair of the Naco Heritage Alliance Board of Directors.

December 18 - Jeremy Fricke Meet and Greet

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 04:36:54 GMT

Camp Naco Meet and Greet with Executive Director Jeremy Fricke
Wednesday, December 18, 4-6pm

Meet our first Executive Director Jeremy Fricke (pronounced Frik-ē) in the Bisbee Council Chambers, 915 S. Tovreaville Rd. Informally connect with Jeremy beginning at 4 followed by a project status presentation at 5pm. Light refreshments will be provided.

Nov 9 -Bill Cavaliere Fireplace Chat and Tour

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 21:51:55 GMT

Camp Naco Fireplace Chat
Bill Cavaliere - The Chiricahua Apaches
November 9, 2024, 2-4pm
Camp Naco, AZ

Registration is now closed, capacity has been reached.

Bill Cavaliere will present a Q and A on the topic of the Chiricahua Apaches next month. Following the discussion, Becky Orozco will guide a walking tour through historic Camp Naco, likely the last one before construction begins!

Bill is the author of The Chiricahua Apaches: A Concise History, an overview of the entire history of this particular tribe of fascinating Native Americans covering their arrival in the southwest, their culture, their notable people, their many conflicts and battles, and where they are today. Their story is one of perseverance and tenacity, of courage and sorrow, and of triumph and tragedy. A fiction writer could not have come up with a more unbelievable story; one filled with action, interesting people, emotion, and uncanny twists of fate.

Bill Cavaliere is an independent researcher who retired after 28 years in law enforcement, during which time he was sheriff of Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Prior to this, he was employed with the US Forest Service in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona. He is currently president of the Cochise County Historical Society and sits on the board of directors of two other historical societies as well. He is currently working on a biography on Naiche, the last chief of the Chiricahua Apaches.

AZ Humanities Grant

info@campnacoaz.org (Jeremy Fricke) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 21:31:50 GMT

AZ Humanities grant

Camp Naco and the Naco Heritage Alliance are excited to announce we have been awarded a 2024 Arizona Humanities (AZ Humanities) Grant of $10,000. This AZ Humanities grant will support the development of the Camp Naco Immersive Experience Mobile Application (app) that will amplify and increase accessibility to the multiple, layered historical narratives of Camp Naco. Camp Naco primarily embodies the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers while simultaneously touching on histories associated with the Mexican Revolution, Chiricahua Apaches, and Paleo-Indian peoples. This mobile app will be one platform of a larger interpretive plan implementing adaptive technologies to provide immersive experiences to a greater diversity of audiences. Find out more about AZ Humanities at AZHumanities.org.

Buffalo Soldiers at Bat

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 04:59:15 GMT

Saturday, September 28, 2pm - Register HERE

Buffalo Soldiers at Bat: Baseball and the Jockstrap Army
Saturday, September 28, 2pm
Ballpark Brewing Co.
97 Center Ave, Bisbee, AZ

Join us for a free presentation and interactive discussion with local historian Mike Anderson. Space is limited, registration at: https://forms.gle/zss8yjEu5ZKiAu158

African-American soldiers stationed along the border with Mexico after the First World War kept residents of Cochise County safe from bandits and other possible threats to their safety. When not patrolling the border or carrying out other duties, the Buffalo Soldiers of the U.S. Army took part in organized sports activities that included competition with other Army units and local civilian teams. Borderlands historian Mike Anderson will tell the fascinating story of the Black baseball players of the 10th U.S. Cavalry and 25th U.S. Infantry Regiments who demonstrated their athletic excellence as soldiers in southern Arizona and later, as professionals in the Negro Leagues.

A resident of Arizona since 1961, Mike Anderson taught Arizona history, world geography and world history as a high school and middle school social studies teacher. The author of "Warren Ballpark," his articles on southern Arizona frontier history and history makers have been published in the Journal of Arizona History and the Cochise County Historical Journal.

Buffalo Soldiers and the Garfield Monument

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 20:40:10 GMT

Register for this free event by clicking HERE

Buffalo Soldiers and the Garfield Monument
A Fireplace Chat presentation by Sharon Kennedy

Saturday, August 24, 2-3:30pm
Warren Peace Cafe, 123 Arizona St, Warren, AZ

Join us for a free presentation and interactive discussion with author Sharon Kennedy. Copies of her book will also be for sale at the event for $10. Register at https://forms.gle/jNFLnFXiUQxp55UMA .

In April of 1885, the 10th Cavalry, one of four (originally six) regiments of Black soldiers formed by the Army Reorganization Act of 1866, was ordered to leave Texas and come to the Arizona Territory for the specific purpose of finding and returning various members of the Chiricahua Apache tribe, including Geronimo, to the San Carlos Reservation. Their journey here, which took 30 days, was the first and last time all the twelve troops of the 10th would be together.

Between October of 1885 and May of 1886, two troops of the Buffalo Soldiers were temporarily assigned to camp in Bonita Canyon in the Chiricahua Mountains to guard against Geronimo returning from Mexico and using the water in Bonita Springs to replenish his people and horses. During that time, in addition to regular duties, they carved and chiseled stones to build a 10-foot monument, with the largest stone in the center to honor slain President James A. Garfield. This is the story of that episode.

Sharon Kennedy is an independent researcher, author, and freelance writer. She writes true stories about ordinary people and popular history and has a particular interest in researching Black history and pioneer women. She is a member of the Cochise County Historical Society and was the keynote speaker in February at the Centennial Celebration of the Chiricahua National Monument.

2024 National Buffalo Soldier Day celebration

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:04:35 GMT

A free event for the whole family!

2024 National Buffalo Soldiers Day Celebration
Saturday, July 27, 4-8pm
Veterans Memorial Park - Centennial Pavilion 3105 E Fry Blvd, Sierra Vista, AZ

This free event will feature a full program of inspiring speakers, great food, local vendors, and old-school R&B and Jazz from Desert Fever and Freddy Jay. Buffalo Soldier Legacy Award Presentation and National Buffalo Soldier Historian John P. Langellier. Bring the whole family to the celebration! Bring a chair.

Congress passed the Army Reorganization Act in 1866, and with it created six brand new regiments, with both infantry and cavalry units, tasked with protecting settlers and wagon trains, stagecoaches and railroad crews. The soldiers in these regiments became known collectively as the Buffalo Soldiers. In 1992, Congress designated July 28 as National Buffalo Soldiers Day.

In celebration of this historic occasion, the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers (SWABS), The Sierra Vista Historical Society and Camp Naco invite you to honor the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers. This year, our theme will be "Service on The Frontier".

Juneteenth 2024

Wed, 29 May 2024 17:46:04 GMT

The Sierra Vista African American Community Coalition presents
The 9th Annual Juneteenth Celebration
June 19, 10am-4pm - Buena High School, Sierra Vista

Join us for this annual celebration featuring fun for the whole family with food, games, flowetry by poets from Sierra Vista and surrounding cities, a black business market, ancestral balloon release, and a Hula Hoop and Double-Dutch hopscotch competition. Other activities include our 3rd annual basketball tournament (For competition Sign ups contact: Queen A (lynemcfalls@yahoo.com) and the presentation of the Buffalo Soldier Legacy Award by the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers (SWABS). Also featuring a local speaker from Calvary's Rock church, Bishop Andre Sexton and Dance & drumming by BWPC and Freddy J., from Tucson. Come enjoy an educational, fun filled day of dancing, food and much more with the community. "Let's Get More in 2024!"

This community event is sponsored by the following businesses and organizations:

Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative 
Haymore Real Estate 
Culvers 
Seniors Healthcare Solutions 
Sierra Vista Soul Radio 
Valley Rose podcast sho
NAACP
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church 
Cathay Williams Salute to Women Veterans
Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers (SWABS) 
Camp Naco

Special thanks to: Duane Chun Ed.D, Community School Manager, S.V.U.S.D #68, Buena High School for the use of the property, Charles Mackin and
Jeremy House

About the Sierra Vista African American Community Coalition:
The SVAACC is a Coalition of dedicated people, who's main purpose is to bring the African American Community together to encourage, empower and educate the community through various cultural activities. The SVAACC is" UNSTOPPABLE", providing platforms for educational outreach activities with cultural representation.

Iron Riders Lecture

Fri, 24 May 2024 14:47:23 GMT

Pedaling a New Concept:
The US Army Bicycle Corps-America's Rolling "Black Army"

Tuesday, May 28, 2024, from 5:30-6:30pm, Free to attend

Join us for a fascinating look at a little known military experiment and the brave soldiers who took part. Cochise College instructor Glenn Minuth will share his research at a free event, to be held at the Copper Queen Library. This lecture is a partnership event co-sponsored by the Copper Queen Library, the Naco Heritage Alliance and Camp Naco Project.

During the late 1800s, it's no surprise that the widespread popularity of the bicycle attracted the attention of U.S. Army leaders. In 1892 the Army Chief of Staff communicated his interest by approving one regiment to be equipped with bicycles, to obtain all information of military importance surrounding local forts. A young officer organized the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps whose mission was to thoroughly "test the practicality" of the bicycle for military purposes. How did the A. G. Spalding Company play into this experiment? What did each bicycle carry? Training trips of increasing lengths prepared the unit for a major 800-mile expedition. How did they complete their longest expedition 1,900 miles away? And why was an even longer trip to San Francisco from Montana not approved and what did that signal for the Corps future?

Presenter Glenn Minuth was a (35-year) Department of Defense civil servant who retired at Fort Huachuca. His bachelors and graduate degrees are in geography with emphasis in cartography, geomorphology, remote sensing, and geology. He is also a graduate of the Army Management Staff College. He has been an instructor for 30 plus years at Cochise College, AZ in both credit and non-credit programs and leads field trips and lectures in the areas of: geology, geography, earth science, astronomy, ecology, weather/climate, agriculture, and military history.

The Past, Present, and Future of Camp Naco

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 18:37:37 GMT

Preserving Place & Empowering Community:
The Past, Present, and Future of Camp Naco
with Rebecca Orozco and R. Brooks Jeffery
Saturday, May 4, 2024, 11:00 am – MST

A Free Online Program sponsored by the Arizona Historical Society
Presented by the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum

A copy of the video presentation can be found HERE

Camp Naco is a cornerstone of Buffalo Soldier history in Arizona and represents the proud tradition of Black military regiments after the Civil War. The Camp's 17-acre site and 100+ year-old adobe buildings sit just 600 yards north of the US-Mexico border in the community of Naco Arizona and reside on the ancestral lands of the Chiricahua Apache. In 2022, the City of Bisbee and Naco Heritage Alliance received $8.1M in funding support, initiating a 4-year journey to 1). Preserve and rehabilitate the site's 20 buildings and open spaces; 2). Develop place-based programming to reactivate the site by interpreting its diverse cultural landscape and addressing community needs; and 3). Build organizational capacity to successfully sustain Camp Naco's mission into the future. This presentation will outline the diverse histories of the Camp Naco site, the tireless efforts to preserve its buildings, and the future vision to reactivate Camp Naco as a destination to honor its past while addressing contemporary needs in the border community of Naco Arizona.

Rebecca Orozco is a third-generation resident of the border in Arizona. She recently retired from Cochise College and the University of Arizona as a history and anthropology instructor. In 2021 she was named Faculty Emeritus for Cochise College. She helped develop a cross-border studies program at Cochise College and the Center for Lifelong Learning and continues to offer non-credit history and travel programs. For the past 22 years, she has been working to save historic Camp Naco. She discovered the camp while working to develop cross-border programs for Elderhostel, an educational travel program for seniors. The abandoned adobe fort set off a quest to discover the history and then to preserve the Mexican Revolutionary War era camp built to stop the conflict from spilling across the border. After arson fires destroyed five buildings in 2006, she helped get the property transferred first to Huachuca City and then to Bisbee. The Naco Heritage Alliance was formed in 2008 and under their work, a Brownfields grant of $400,000 was secured to mitigate the asbestos from the Camp. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012 and named one of the Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places in 2022.

R. Brooks Jeffery is a heritage conservation consultant serving as Startup Executive Director of the Naco Heritage Alliance. He is a Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of Arizona where he had a 35-year career as a teacher, scholar, and administrator advancing heritage conservation as part of a comprehensive ethic of environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability in places throughout the world.

This online program is free, but space is limited.

Community Input Meeting

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 15:28:38 GMT

Community Input Meeting 

Camp Naco Conceptual Design Plan
Tuesday, April 9, 5:30 - 7:30pm 

Naco Elementary School, 1911 W Valenzuela Street, Naco, AZ

The public is invited to review the Site and Building Design Programs and the Conceptual Design Plan for development of the 17-acre site at Camp Naco. Developed by the design team, led by architectural firm Poster Mirto McDonald, the Conceptual Design Plan incorporates years of ideas and feedback from the community, stakeholders, and advisors, as well as input from our recent Open House. The meeting will consist of three distinct agenda items:

- Review of the Site Program elements and Conceptual Site Design.
- Request for formal community feedback on the Conceptual Site Design as part of the Special Use Permit
application to Cochise County.
- Review of the Program for the use of the 20 Buildings on the Camp Naco site.

At the meeting, the public will have the opportunity to review program details, diagrams, and drawings of the Conceptual Design Plan, and to ask questions. This meeting will serve as the final opportunity to provide feedback before the Special Use Permit application is submitted to Cochise County. Please note this is an in-person only meeting; no virtual participation will be provided. Members of the design team and the Camp Naco Project Team will be on-hand to answer questions. Snacks and beverages will be provided, and an activity area will be set up to entertain your children if you're unable to find childcare.

Tankersley Lecture and tour

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 12:15:47 GMT

Photos by Carlos Quintero, Outreach, Program Coordinator, The Southwest Center, University of Arizona

The 2024 Bazy Tankersley Southwest Laureate Lecture was presented by two community scholars, Rebecca Orozco and R. Brooks Jeffery. This event included a Friday evening lecture followed by a Saturday site tour of Camp Naco.

The Friday lecture was preceded by a short memorial to honor the life and career of J.C. Mutchler (1961-2023), Associate Research Historian, Southwest Center, University of Arizona. The tribute video is available to view HERE and a video of the lecture is available HERE .

In the footsteps of Bazy Tankersley, J.C. Mutchler’s career was devoted to empowering communities through their understanding of history and sense of place. No project better exemplifies Mutchler’s passion for community-based applied history than Camp Naco. Located in the Cochise County border community of Naco AZ, Camp Naco is a cornerstone of Buffalo Soldier history in Arizona but also represents the multi-layered histories of border protection, mining and railroads, Spanish exploration, as well as the history of indigenous peoples who occupied this region for millennia. Beginning in 2000, community advocates – including Mutchler – began efforts to preserve Camp Naco’s 100+ year-old adobe buildings and 17-acre site when it was under threat of outright demolition. This led to the establishment of the non-profit Naco Heritage Alliance and a 22-year journey of preservation advocacy that resulted in the recent designation of Camp Naco as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Community Input Open House

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 20:16:40 GMT

Community Input Open House
Camp Naco Site Program and Preliminary Conceptual Site Plan

Saturday, March 9, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Camp Naco, 2118 W Newell St, Naco

The public is invited to Camp Naco for an Open House to review the proposed site program elements and a preliminary conceptual site plan for development of the 17-acre site at Camp Naco.

This Preliminary Site Plan and Site Development Program, developed by the design team, led by architectural firm Poster Mirto McDonald , incorporates years of ideas and feedback from the community, stakeholders, and advisors. In this informal event, the public will be granted limited access to the Camp Naco site and the ability to review program details, diagrams, and drawings of the proposed plan, to ask questions, and to provide feedback. Members of the design team and the Camp Naco Project Team will be on-hand to answer questions and gather valuable input from the public before further developing plans and applying for permits. Snacks and beverages will be provided.

Women on the Border Fireplace Chat

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:21:49 GMT

Fireplace Chat: Women on the Border
Saturday, March 2 at 2:00pm

Warren Peace Cafe, 123 Arizona Street, Bisbee, AZ

Join us for a Question & Answer session with Dr. Katie Benton-Cohen and Dr. Larisa Veloz to discuss the profound contributions of women in shaping the Arizona borderlands.

Larisa Veloz is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Texas, El Paso, where she teaches the histories of the U.S. and Mexico, Mexican Migration, Latin America and the Latinx diaspora, and the US-Mexico borderlands. She received an MA in Latin American and Iberian Studies from UC Santa Barbara and her Doctorate in History from Georgetown University, where she won the 2017 Glassmann Award for the best dissertation in the humanities.

Her work, supported by a Fulbright IIE Garcia Robles Fellowship to Mexico and a Mellon/IIE Graduate Fellowship for International Study, led to her book, 'Even the Women are Leaving': Migrants Making Mexican America, 1890-1965 currently out and published by University of California Press 2023. It explores the histories of Mexican migrant families, focusing on women and gender relations from the early decades of circular migrations, through depression era repatriations, to the rise of the bracero contracts and parallel family migrations from the 1940s into the 1960s. Her current project focuses on the oral histories of Mexican migrant women during the latter part of the twentieth century.

In Your Pocket: Heroes of the Past

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 19:50:40 GMT

A collaborative event sponsored by the City of Sierra Vista Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services,

Camp Naco and the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers

In Your Pocket: Heroes of the Past

Ethel H. Berger Center located at 2950 E. Tacoma St., Sierra Vista, AZ
Saturday, February 17, 12-3pm

A copy of the takeaway book "In Your Pocket" is available for download HERE

Come celebrate the legacy and stories of black cowboys and Buffalo Soldiers on the American frontier! Learn about trailblazers who helped to settle and shape the American West, hear stories of sacrifice and perseverance, discuss the shared experiences of black Americans, and come together to unify for the future.

The program will feature presentations on the endurance of the black spirit throughout America’s troubled past, convey the lesser-known stories of black Americans who traveled west and pushed the boundaries of their own frontiers, a discussion on the residual effects of slavery and Jim Crow, and a joint Q&A on unifying to transform the future. It will also feature an art exhibition from the SWABS collection and a pocket booklet produced by the Camp Naco Project.

From the program: “As settlements grew into cities, Jim Crow segregation laws confronted black settlers. But on those lonely, dangerous, and beautiful lands we call the frontier, black pioneers built new lives. Born into slavery, African Americans had the same dreams of freedom and independence as did all other Americans. Given the chance, they proved time and again that they possessed skills, initiative, and courage.”

“In Your Pocket: Heroes of the Past” is a joint program of the City of Sierra Vista, Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers, and Camp Naco Project. It seeks to expand on the narratives of black Americans and celebrate their thriving communities and enduring commitment to freedom.

Fireplace Chat with John P. Langellier, Ph.D.

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 14:03:29 GMT

January 28, 2024, 2-4pm at Camp Naco. Free to attend, registration is required .

Camp Naco – a cornerstone of Buffalo Soldier history in Arizona – is inviting the public to a book discussion and Q&A with Arizona author and military historian John P. Langellier, Ph.D. John will be discussing his most recent title, "More Work Than Glory: Buffalo Soldiers in the United States Army, 1866-1916". The work is illustrated with compelling images and detailed maps, along with an array of appendices, and represents the culmination of over a half century of fascination with this topic.

Following the discussion, John will guide a walking tour through historic Camp Nacoand the Naco Heritage Alliance will host a book signing event where his book will be available for purchase for $40 (20% discount). Registration for this free event is required and space is limited. Visit https://forms.gle/v5ZkJFnTvFRK4SMo8 to register for the event.

From his book, John writes "Prior to the 1960s, the term 'Buffalo Soldier' was a fairly obscure one. Then, a trickle of titles became a torrent of books, articles, novels, monuments, and expanding numbers of historic sites along with museums all of which have changed the picture. Even an occasional nod from television and movies helped transform these once relatively little-known Black U.S. Army troops into familiar figures, who have taken their place in a mythic past. Indeed, powerful image-makers from William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody and his Congress of Rough Riders to Frederic Remington, the dean of frontier artists, helped lionize the Black troops whose exploits brought them to the American West, Cuba, the Philippines, Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii in the years between 1866 and 1916."

As a child in Tucson, Arizona, John developed a passion for the story of the U.S. Army and the Native American Indians in the West. In addition to completing his BA and MA in history and historical archaeology, and subsequently his doctorate with an emphasis on U.S. military history and secondary fields of historic preservation and archaeology, he also spent over four decades as a public historian. John's military career includes twelve years with the U.S. Army, and another four with the U.S. Navy in various assignments including at the Presidio of San Francisco and U.S. Army, Europe. John has written scores of articles and dozens of books, including recent titles, Scouting with the Buffalo Soldiers: Lieutenant Powhatan Clarke, Fredric Remington and the 10th Cavalry in the Southwest. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2020.

Camp Naco is located 2118 W. Newell Street (at the corner with S. Willson Road) in Naco Arizona.

This event is being held in conjunction with the Nogales Buffalo Soldiers Legacy Association, and their 3rd annual salute to the Nogales Buffalo Soldiers. The companion event, being held the day before on January 27 at the Nogales City Cemetery and beginning at 10am, will feature speakers and the Fort Huachuca B Troop Cavalry and Color Guard, as well as a self-guided tour of over 50 Buffalo Soldier gravesites. Following the tour entertainment will be provided by Nogales area student musicians, singers and dancers, keynote speaker John P. Langellier and an exhibit will be available at Pimeria Alta Historical Museum. For more information and a schedule of events visit www.NogalesBuffaloSoldiers.org

Additionally, John P. Langellier will be appearing on Sunday, January 28, from 11am to 1pm at Bisbee Books and Music, located at 2 Main Street 1601, Bisbee, AZ, United States, 85603. For more information visit www.bisbeebam.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
R. Brooks Jeffery, Naco Heritage Alliance
bjeffery@bisbeeaz.gov, (520) 240-7619

Veterans Day Tour

info@campnacoaz.org (Jeremy Fricke) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 18:03:00 GMT

November 11, 2023, 10-11am

Join Naco Heritage Alliance Community Liason Becky Orozco on a tour of this historic site. Limited capacity, registration required, free to attend.

To register click the HERE or to arrange for a private tour call (520) 432-9031

National Trust Visit

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 00:39:48 GMT

In October 2023 we hosted leaders from the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) including members of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, the HOPE (Hands On Preservation Experience) Crew, and the Where Women Made History Initiative (see photo).

It was the National Trust who oversees the 11 Most Endangered List on which Camp Naco was included in 2022 that became a watershed moment for the current funding and is a testament to NTHP's continuing support and advocacy to preserve Camp Naco. In addition to Camp Naco, the group toured a constellation of African American heritage sites in southern Arizona in our efforts to build a collaborative regional partnership and have national organizations recognize the unique qualities of the Black experience in the West.

Front row (left to right): Christine Rhodes, Molly Baker (NTHP), Tiffany Tolbert (NTHP), Milan Jordan (NTHP), Juanetta Hill, Michael Engs, Mike Normand. Back row: Becky Orozco, Demetria Warren, Lawana Holland-Moore (NTHP), R. Brooks Jeffery, Christine Morris (NTHP). Not pictured: Bisbee Mayor Ken Budge and Bisbee City Manager Steve Pauken.

Mr. Brooks Goes to Washington

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 18:01:27 GMT

Camp Naco Strategic Planning Consultant R. Brooks Jeffery is in Washington DC this week to attend the National Trust for Historic Preservation Past Forward Conference. He and Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer, Kathryn Leonard, also went to Capitol Hill and met Representative Raul M. Grijalva and Senator Mark Kelly to advocate for future community development funding for Camp Naco.

By chance, they ran into former Representative Gabby Giffords , who was an early strong advocate for Camp Naco. Brooks presented to Senator Kelly a 2009 photo of Becky Orozco, Gabby Giffords, and George Nerhan celebrating the receipt of one of Camp Naco's first major grants that Gabby helped facilitate. It was a great moment of next generation continuity.... Onward!!

National Buffalo Soldier Day 2023

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 18:00:13 GMT

(Pictured from left to right: R. Brooks Jeffery, Donna Jackson-Houston — Nogales Buffalo Soldiers Legacy Association, Bisbee Mayor Ken Budge, Becky Orozco, Demetria Warren and Charles Hancock — SW Association of Buffalo Soldiers, Charles Young — Territory of Arizona Buffalo Soldiers, Christine Rhodes, Robert Guerrero — Office of Sen. Mark Kelly, Bisbee City Manager Steve Pauken.)

Our first annual Buffalo Soldier Day Open House was a fantastic success, made possible by a dedicated team. Brooks commented “The success of this event was due to the many volunteers and speakers who shared their time, passion and advocacy in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers and the future of Camp Naco. Our thanks to all of you 300+ attendees who braved the heat to witness the inaugural event for our Community Event Space and the initiation of new traditions as Camp Naco becomes a destination for ceremonial as well as educational and entertainment events.”

A video of the event is available to view at https://youtu.be/i9aMvi_MTAg

Governor Hobbs Visit

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 15:15:39 GMT

We were honored On July 19, 2023 to receive a visit from Governor Katie Hobbs , who took time out of her busy schedule to tour Camp Naco and meet with the project team, as well as Bisbee Mayor Ken Budge , City Manager Steve Pauken, City Council member Juanetta Hill, SWABS member Carlos Bazan and tireless Camp Naco supporter Becky Orozco.

Thank you, Governor Hobbs, for seeing our progress and sharing our vision for the future of Camp Naco.

campnaco1

An Evening with Jeff Haozous

Apaches and Earth Mother

Endangered Foods of the Borderlands

Endangered Foods of the Borderlands ��

Camp Naco Walking Tour

Join us for a walking tour of historic Camp Naco

Free Online Event: Early 20th Century African Americans in Mexico

Free Online Event: Early 20th Century African Americans in Mexico

Fridays in January - Borderlands History Educational Series

December 19th - Adobe & Gingerbread

Dec 5th - Chulas Fronteras Screening at Central School Project

Nov. 11 - The Warrior Tradition

Oct. 25 & Nov. 8 - A Taste of African American History

Sept 20 - Camp Naco Walkthrough

Saturday, September 20, 4pm

2118 West Newell St., Naco, AZ

August 2 - 2025 National Buffalo Soldier Day

June 21 - Juneteenth "Turn Hate-2-Love" event

May 29 - Clues of the Past

April 26 - Baseball on the Border

March 25 - Contractors Open House

March 22 - Dr. John Langellier Fireplace chat and book signing

Feb 27 - Online lecture with Margaret Hangan

Register for the lecture HERE

December 18 - Jeremy Fricke Meet and Greet

Nov 9 -Bill Cavaliere Fireplace Chat and Tour

Registration is now closed, capacity has been reached.

AZ Humanities Grant

Buffalo Soldiers at Bat

Saturday, September 28, 2pm - Register HERE

Buffalo Soldiers and the Garfield Monument

Register for this free event by clicking HERE

2024 National Buffalo Soldier Day celebration

A free event for the whole family! ﻿

2024 National Buffalo Soldiers Day Celebration Saturday, July 27, 4-8pm Veterans Memorial Park - Centennial Pavilion 3105 E Fry Blvd, Sierra Vista, AZ

Juneteenth 2024

The Sierra Vista African American Community Coalition presents The 9th Annual Juneteenth Celebration June 19, 10am-4pm - Buena High School, Sierra Vista

Iron Riders Lecture

The Past, Present, and Future of Camp Naco

Community Input Meeting

Tankersley Lecture and tour

Community Input Open House

Women on the Border Fireplace Chat

In Your Pocket: Heroes of the Past

A collaborative event sponsored by the City of Sierra Vista Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services,

﻿ Camp Naco and the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers

Fireplace Chat with John P. Langellier, Ph.D.

January 28, 2024, 2-4pm at Camp Naco. Free to attend, registration is required .

Veterans Day Tour

National Trust Visit

Mr. Brooks Goes to Washington

National Buffalo Soldier Day 2023

Governor Hobbs Visit

A free event for the whole family!

2024 National Buffalo Soldiers Day Celebration
Saturday, July 27, 4-8pm
Veterans Memorial Park - Centennial Pavilion 3105 E Fry Blvd, Sierra Vista, AZ

The Sierra Vista African American Community Coalition presents
The 9th Annual Juneteenth Celebration
June 19, 10am-4pm - Buena High School, Sierra Vista

Camp Naco and the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers