Cathy Williams:
A Woman Who Allegedly Posed as Man to Become a Soldier.
Cathy Williams, born in Independence, Missouri, around 1844, emerged as a remarkable figure in American history. As a daughter of a slave mother and a free father, she initially went by the name Cathay Williams before adopting the alias William Cathay.
Williams holds the distinction of being the first African American woman soldier to enlist in the Army during the 19th century. Her remarkable story also places her as the sole documented black woman to serve in the Army during that period and as a member of the renowned Buffalo Soldiers.....











