In honor of Black History Month, PAART will present British actor Cedric Liqueur in his one-man theatrical production depicting the life and bravery of Williamson County African-American Buffalo Soldier George Jordan. This performance of “Buffalo Soldier: Sergeant George Jordan 1847-1904 Medal of Honor” will take place at the Palace Theatre on Main Street in Crossville on Friday night, February 5th at 7 pm central time.

George Jordan (1847-1904) was a Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army and a recipient of America’s highest military decoration—the Congressional Medal of Honor—and a Certificate of Merit for his actions in the Indian Wars of the western United States (1866-1897). Eighteen black troopers received the Medal of Honor for bravery during this period.

Approximately twenty percent of the U.S. Cavalry troopers were African Americans. They fought over 177 engagements against the Apache, Comanche, Ute, Kiowa, Shoshone, Cheyenne, Bannock, Kickapoo, Sioux and Blackfoot.

Jordan was born in rural Williamson County in central Tennessee. His parents were slaves. On December 25 1866, at age 19, he enlisted in the 38th Infantry and in 1870 he was transferred to the 9th Cavalry’s K Troop, his home for twenty-six years.

By the time of his retirement in 1896 at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, Jordan had served ten years as first sergeant. His later years were spent in Crawford, Nebraska where he was a successful landowner.

Diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 1904 Jordan was denied admission to the Fort Robinson hospital and “died for the want of proper attention” on 25 October 1904.  Sergeant Jordan’s was buried with full military honors at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, October 29, 1904. His permanent gravesite is Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebraska.

Buffalo’s are a sacred and revered animal to Native Americans and legend states that during the Indian Wars the term Buffalo Soldiers was thought to express the respect Native Americans held for the soldiers.

Noted British actor Cedric Liqueur has been a professional theater stage actor, playwright and director since 1997, having presented one-man solo performances of world literature at schools, colleges, universities and many other venues in the United States, Canada and Europe. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Co., Liqueur completed university studies in classical history and literature at King’s College in London and film studies at San Francisco State University. “You never really know what you are going to do, and then someone else sees it in you,” said Cedric Liqueur. A gifted actor with a master’s degree in microbiology, Mr. Liqueur is familiar with the power others have to inspire. Mr. Liqueur caught the acting bug years ago at a party in England. “This…guy told me I should be an actor,” he said, recalling the night that would change his life forever. As luck would have it, that “guy” happened to be Patrick Stewart of “Star Trek” fame. As a result of his chance encounter with the actor, Mr. Liqueur scored an audition with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. “That’s where it all began,” he said of the opportunity that has found him traveling the world as an actor.

His world travels will bring him to Crossville’s own beautiful, historic Palace Theatre on Friday night, February 5th at 7pm central time. Tickets for this event are available at the Palace Theatre and are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information on all of PAART’s upcoming “First Fridays” events please visit www.performingartsalliance.org.

CAPTION: Buffalo Soldier George Jordan