TAMPA, Fla. — If you’re on the road in Tampa Bay this weekend, there’s a strong chance you’ve spotted men and women decked out in gold shirts and leather vests, riding their motorcycles into communities to lend a hand.

The group has a familiar name. They’re the National Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club and they’re honoring the long and significant history of the Buffalo Soldiers while giving back to the Tampa Bay area.

“We ride, we educate, we serve, but giving back is what we do,” said National Association of the Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club President, Nathan "Motown" Mack.

This year, the national organization chose the city of Tampa to donate their time and resources. One of those stops was at Tampa Hope, where they sang gospel songs and donated essential items to the homeless.

Ken Thomas said this is what he had in mind when he founded the motorcycle group in the early 90s.

“I knew there were a lot of people like myself who needed a positive image. A positive image to motorcycling and to the club scene,” he said.

The name of the group is no accident either.

“We looked at the term ‘Buffalo Soldier’ and we knew automatically we wanted to keep that term in everyone’s perspective as to who they were, the 9th and 10th calvary,” Thomas said.

The Buffalo Soldiers were a group of African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Military in the beginning of the 1800s. They got their name from Native Americans because of their dark, curly hair that resembled a buffalo’s coat and because of their fierce fighting. The Buffalo Soldiers fought in several wars and helped rebuild the country after the Civil War.

Now, groups like the National Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club are trying to keep that legacy going with their service and making sure people know their story.

“History. American history. Not only African American history, but history. That’s what we want people to understand. The motorcycles that we ride represent iron horses. The original 9th and 10th calvary rode horses and now we represent them with iron horses,” said Thomas.

The Buffalo Soldiers were also joined by hundreds of bikers on Saturday, where they rode to Lamb Elementary and Edison Elementary for a bookbag giveaway for kids.