BRADENTON, Fla. — At 96 years old, Bradenton resident Steve Lewis is sharp as ever.
- One of the last Buffalo Soldiers calls Manatee County home
- Steve Lewis joined the Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor
- Lewis to be featured in a documentary on Buffalo Soldiers
"Three years, ten months, and six days," he recalled.
That's exactly how long Lewis spent in the United States Army. He answered the call of duty in the days following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Lewis was assigned to the 9th Calvary Regiment, one of two all black Calvary units, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers. He was trained to ride and fight as part of the horse mounted unit.
"When I was in the army, I didn't know anything about Buffalo Soldiers. I'd never heard the word," he said.
It was only after Lewis returned home to a still-segregated Manatee County that learned of the name. The soldiers lived in tents and endured extreme conditions with little access to supplies.
"The black soldiers had long hair, beards and all. Then the Indians said they were Buffalo Soldiers," he explained.
Lewis' recognition as an American war hero didn't come until later of life.
"They didn't pay us any attention," Lewis said, describing his return home.
Now, Lewis is going to be the center of an upcoming documentary, with a team behind him that's determined to change the way history was documented.
"Most of the high schools in America simply don't teach this, they don't teach the Buffalo Soldiers part," said Ralph Barnette, producer of the upcoming film.
"It's not in the history books," added Lewis.
The project is moving forward with the help of the Sarasota Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and its community partners. They plan to start filming in the upcoming months.