The principal justification for Black soldiers fighting for the United States army has always been one of necessity, or at least lack of other opportunities. The first all-Black regiments were created by the Army Organization Act of 1866 at a time of widespread unemployment, particularly among Black Americans, in the wake of emancipation and the Civil War. It now seems bitterly ironic that they were immediately put to work against another oppressed group, the Native Americans of the western plains. For most of the so-called "Buffalo soldiers," however, the opportunity to earn a living wage and to be fed, clothed, and sheltered outweighed any sympathy they might have felt for their opponents.

As well as seeing more opportunities in the military than outside it, Black soldiers were often highly patriotic, despite the racism they encountered. This racism, moreover, was minimized by the formation of all-Black regiments, while the patriotism was increased as they came to fight not only Native Americans but foreigners such as the Spanish and Filipinos. The patriotism of these soldiers was linked to their effectiveness and courage in battle, which might be regarded as justifications for a military career in themselves. For almost a century, the Black regiments had the lowest court-martial and desertion rates in the U.S. army, and many Black soldiers were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.