Bust of Cathay Williams, sculpted by Eddie Dixon, 2016. Richard Allen Cultural Center and Museum, Leavenworth, KY.
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Cathay Williams was the first known African American woman to enlist in the United States Army. She pretended to be a man named William Cathay, and joined the famous Black regiment known as the Buffalo Soldiers. Despite being honorably discharged from the military, Williams was denied her pension and also later her medical disability payments. She died sometime around 1893, with the exact date being unknown.
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