Commemorating Black History Month

Commemorating Black History Month

At the end of the American Civil War, 2,129,000 men had served under the federal flag; of them, 179,000 were Colored troops.

America had gone from 16,000 total men under arms to more than 2 million; the Army Reorganization Act of 1866 brought this number down to about 50,000, with 45 infantry regiments and 10 cavalry regiments. Of these, 4 regiments of infantry were colored troops, the 38^th, 39^th, 40^th, and 41^st; and 2 were cavalry regiments, the 9^th and 10^th Cavalry. The troops all served in the West, in part because that’s where there was greatest need and in part to keep those troops outside of cities, where they would not necessarily be welcomed by the same population that had just fought to give them their freedom.

A second reorganization act in 1869 reduced the number of Colored infantry regiments to 4, reorganized as the 24^th and 25^th Infantry, but kept the original cavalry regiments intact. The 25^th would remain a segregated unit until 1951.

The 10^th Cavalry would serve with distinction. It is thought that the term “Buffalo Soldiers” came from the indigenous warriors who they were sent to fight; it was a term of respect, and the troopers wore the name with pride.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of treatment that is based firmly on research findings. It places emphasis on changing your cognitions (thoughts) or behaviors (actions) in order to effect change in how you feel. These approaches help people in achieving specific changes or goals.

Changes or goals might involve:

A way of acting: like smoking less or being more outgoing;
A way of feeling: like helping a person to be less scared, less depressed, or less anxious;
A way of thinking: like learning to problem-solve or get rid of self-defeating thoughts;
A way of dealing with physical or medical problems: like reducing back pain or helping a person stick to a doctor’s suggestions.

Cognitive behavioral therapists usually focus more on the current situation and its solution, rather than the past. They concentrate on a person’s views and beliefs about their life. CBT is an effective treatment for individuals, parents, children, couples, and families. The goal of CBT is to help people improve and gain more control over their lives by changing behaviors that don’t work well to ones that do.

How to Get Help

If you are looking for help, either for yourself or someone else, you may be tempted to call someone who advertises in a local publication or who comes up from a search of the Internet. You may, or may not, find a competent therapist in this manner. It is wise to check on the credentials of a psychotherapist. It is expected that competent therapists hold advanced academic degrees. They should be listed as members of professional organizations, such as the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies or the American Psychological Association. Of course, they should be licensed to practice in your state. You can find competent specialists who are affiliated with local universities or mental health facilities or who are listed on the websites of professional organizations. You may, of course, visit our website (www.abct.org) and click on “Find a CBT Therapist”

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) is an interdisciplinary organization committed to the advancement of a scientific approach to the understanding and amelioration of problems of the human condition. These aims are achieved through the investigation and application of behavioral, cognitive, and other evidence-based principles to assessment, prevention, and treatment.