Cathy Williams–Buffalo Girl, Allyson Allen

Artwork Overview

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Cathy Williams–Buffalo Girl, 2012
Where object was made: Sun City, California, United States
Material/technique: metal chain; fabric yo-yos; leather; buttons; velvet; glass beads; hand appliqué; machine appliqué; hand quilting; African prints; jewelry findings; ethnic prints; satin; gold cording; machine quilting; cotton fabric; insetting; silver rayon thread; thread drawing
Accession number: EL2017.050
Not on display

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Label texts

And Still We Rise

1866: Freed slave Cathay (sometimes spelled Cathy) Williams enlists in the United States Army disguised as a man— Private William Cathay. She is assigned to the 38th Infantry, a unit of Buffalo Soldiers, serving first at Fort Cummings and then at Fort Bayard. She will be the only documented woman to have served in the United States Army posing as a man during the 19th century.

Exhibitions