In 1855, Mack Harris was born in Kentucky, likely into a family enduring the hardships of slavery. After the Civil War, as a free man, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a member of Troop H in the 10th Cavalry Regiment, proudly serving as one of the renowned Buffalo Soldiers—a source of honor for him, his family, and his community. Harris, who enlisted initially in 1871 and again in 1897, began his service as a private and rose to the rank of corporal. He completed his honorable service in 1901.

The motto of the 10th Cavalry, "Ready and Forward," guided Corporal Harris and his regiment. In 1898, the Buffalo Soldiers deployed to Cuba for the Spanish-American War, where they fought courageously alongside Teddy Roosevelt during the famed charge up San Juan Hill.

After the war, one of the four Buffalo Soldier regiments returned to the U.S., initially stationed in New York before relocating to Huntsville, Alabama, on Monte Sano Mountain. There, they recuperated from yellow fever, war wounds, and other illnesses contracted in Cuba. Following an incident between Black and white soldiers, the African American troops were reassigned to what is now known as 10th Cavalry Hill, named by the local community. The Buffalo Soldiers camped under the leadership of the notable General John "Black Jack" Pershing.

Today, a memorial statue stands proudly at 2800 Poplar Avenue in Huntsville, depicting Sergeant George Berry, a Buffalo Soldier of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments, atop his horse and holding the regimental flag—a tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of these soldiers.

While in Huntsville, Corporal Harris married Miss Annie Gray (her grave is near his) in January 1899. They briefly resided at Fort Clark in Kinney, Texas, before returning to Huntsville, where Corporal Harris worked for a paving company. The couple owned their home and the adjoining lot at 122 Miller Street, where Mrs. Harris’ father and Corporal Harris's mother, Hester Buford, also lived. The couple, however, appears to have had no children.

After Corporal Harris' passing on October 21, 1936, Mrs. Harris applied to the U.S. War Department for a headstone to mark his grave at Glenwood Cemetery. Annie Gray Harris passed away in 1950, leaving a legacy intertwined with the history and honor of the Buffalo Soldiers.

Mack Harris bought a house and land, The Journal, Huntsville, AL, 5 Jan 1905, p. 3.

Mack Harris barn damaged by fire, The Huntsville Times, Huntsville, AL, 17 May 1927, p. 5.

Mack Harris married Annie Gray, The Journal, Huntsville, AL, 13 Jan 1899, p. 3.

Mark Harris, Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985, Ancestry.com.

Corp Mack Harris, FindaGrave, Memorial #11816031, Glenwood Cemetery

1910 U.S. Census, Mack Harris, born abt 1856, Kentucky, married, worked as a paver, owned his own home.