Like other soldiers in the West, Black members of U.S. Army wore broad-brimmed campaign hats. Before there was a National Park Service, the men known as the Buffalo Soldiers, were among the troops assigned to protect Yosemite, Sequoia and Yellowstone National Parks.
They fought fires, built roads and trails, enforced park regulations, and spent long days working beneath the intense western sun and sudden rainstorms.
These troops often reshaped the soft felt crown by pinching it into four sloping dents, creating the form later known as the Montana Peak.
The modification made the crown more rigid and gave rainwater channels to run toward the brim instead of pooling on top. The broad, flat brim continued to shade the face, ears, and neck.
Buffalo Soldiers wore versions of these practical campaign hats while serving in the earliest days of the national parks.
Years later, the National Park Service adopted the campaign hat as an iconic part of the ranger uniform, we know today.
Its shape reflects the experience of soldiers who adapted their gear to survive, serve, and protect the American landscape.
The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.
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