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Florida
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The History of the Mother Chapter (Florida) of the BSMC
Three friends in St Petersburg and Bradenton, Florida who rode together, decided in 1996 they wanted to make their riding more organized and turn it into something they could gain recognition on the local bike scene. Forming a club was discussed but nothing was ever decided on. That summer one of them, Carl Laury, took a long bike trip and reunited with friends from Chicago’s Buffalo Soldiers MC while in Denver, Colorado. After traveling on to Sturgis, South Dakota from Denver, Laury also visited Chicago and was impressed with the openness of the Buffalo Soldiers MC in their home city.
Upon his return, Laury began to work on the idea of starting a Florida Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers MC with his two friends and the organization was created in January of 1997. Founding members Carl Laury, Mack Burton and Vince Bland were joined by Clarence Sanders, Marva Carley, Claude Carley, and in February Eugene Wright. The club quickly became known for its hard riding and long distance trips throughout the southeastern United States. The club grew with support from a number of family members and soon was collecting “Most Members” along with “Longest Distance Club” trophies from events they attended. With an initial focus on distance rides, few new prospects and applicants could actually keep up with the traveling schedule and hard riding style of the club.
Eventually a number of new riders were able to make the cut and become members, that list including Walt Massie and Jake Collins. The club turned a new page with the arrival of biker Tom Macon. With a military background, Macon brought strong organizational skills and a professionalism and level of energy that set a new tone for the club, which has prospered and set new Florida standards of hosting annuals and fundraising.
Early in 1999 the Florida Chapter met in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina along with the Maryland Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers M/C. It was the first time two of the three original chapters had ever gathered in one location. The meeting provided the opportunity to plan the Round-Up gathering, with the purpose of organizing the chapters, which by now included Delaware, New Jersey and Virginia. That summer the Florida Chapter hosted a Buffalo Soldiers M/C hospitality tent at the National Bikers Round Up. The idea to offer all clubs using the Buffalo Soldiers legacy membership into a new organization, one that would unite members under the One Club One Patch (OCOP), resulted in the first set of National By-Laws being developed. The national meeting was used as a springboard to create the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers M/Cs (NABSTMC). The bylaws were ratified and the National board elected. New chapters have been added each year since that first national meeting.
The Florida Chapter and its members are very proud to have played such a significant role in the creation of the NABSTMC and to have been the third chapter in this motorcycle club organization. We have produced a number of firsts within the NABSTMC organization, including:
As of December 2007, there are 67 chapters within Florida: Mother, Central, South, Tallahassee, Miami, Jacksonville and Orlando. All Florida chapters wear the same rocker “Florida”.
The Purpose of the Florida Chapters of the BSMC The Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club Florida was established for the purpose to:
The Composition of the Florida Chapters of the BSMC We are comprised of current, veteran, or retired military, police, firefighters and other professionals dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Buffalo Soldier and to bring together motorcyclists in the Florida area for motorcycling related activities such as mini excursions, club rallies, and other forms of motorcycling fellowship. We do not claim any area or territory as our own and are active in our communities striving to spread the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers and to provide a positive image for all youth. The Buffalo Soldiers are part of our African American Heritage, and we wear our colors with pride.
Membership into the Florida Chapters of the BSMC Membership in the Florida Chapters of the BSMC is open to anyone with an interest preserving the legacy of the Buffalo Soldier, educating the public, giving back to the community and group riding regardless of race, creed or sex. The Florida Chapters of the BSMC reserves the right to refuse membership to anyone
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