Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument Ohio

Throughout his life, Charles Young overcame countless obstacles in his ascent to prominence.  In spite of overt racism and stifling inequality, Young rose through the military ranks to become one of the most respected leaders of his time.  A well-rounded man with a steadfast devotion to duty, Young led by example and inspired a generation of new leaders.

In 1883, Charles Young's father encouraged him to take the entrance examination to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He entered West Point on June 10, 1884, becoming the ninth African American to attend the Academy and only the third to graduate. As a cadet, he faced racial insults and social isolation from instructors and fellow cadets. Despite these obstructions, Young persevered and his accomplishments became a source of pride among African Americans during his lifetime. Young eventually became the highest ranking African-American officer serving in the Regular Army until his death in 1922.

Charles Young became the first African-American national park Superintendent in 1903. During that summer, Captain Young and his troopers maintained and managed Sequioa National Park in northern California. The work they completed that summer totaled more than the combined previous three summers of work by other troops.

New to the National Park system, Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument is being developed for visitor use. It is not yet open to the visiting public, but interpretive programs and exhibits are under development.

Long before "Youngsholm" became the permanent residence of Charles Young, the house was once a stopping point for runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974, the house now serves as the face for nation's newest National Park Service site.

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