1/16 Charles Young was born into slavery in Kentucky in 1864 as the American Civil War raged on. In 1865, Young’s father escaped and enlisted in the 5th Regiment of the U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery. With the war’s end came the end of slavery and Young’s family relocated to Ohio. 
2/16 Growing up, Young’s parents spent much of their resources educating him in all fields. In 1884, he became only the 9th Black American to be accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and would be only the third to graduate.
3/16 Often discriminated by his fellow cadets, Young sought social interaction by practicing his German language skills with the immigrant servant staff.
4/16 In 1889, Young commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Cavalry and served his first assignment with the 9th Cavalry in Nebraska and Utah until 1894. Young’s next major assignment was as a Professor in Military Science at Wilberforce College, Ohio from 1894 until 1898.
5/16 With the start of the Spanish-American War, Young was temporarily promoted to the rank of Major of Volunteers and took command of the all-Black 9th Ohio Infantry Regiment, possibly the first instance of a Black American in command of a regiment-sized unit in the U.S. Army.
6/16 The war ended before the unit could be sent overseas, and Young returned to the 9th Cavalry as a Captain and deployed with them to the Philippines.
7/16 Captain Young then served as the first Black superintendent of a national park (which were overseen by the U.S. Army at this time) at the Sequoia and General Grant national parks. Following this, Young took command of a troop of the 10th Cavalry Regiment.
8/16 In 1904, Young became the one of United States’ first official military attachés, serving in Haiti and Liberia. He also deployed with the 9th Cavalry to the Philippines for a second time.
9/16 In 1916, the Punitive Expedition into Mexico saw now-Major Young in command of 2nd Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment. On 1 April 1916, Major Young led his unit in a mounted charge at Agua Caliente. The enemy was completely routed; Young’s unit suffered not a single loss.
10/16 For his excellent leadership in Mexico, Young was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and made commander of Fort Huachuca, Arizona. With the entry of the U.S. into WW I, Young’s seniority placed him in position for promotion to Brigadier General.
11/16 However, several white officers complained about the idea of serving under a Black General. Young was forced off active duty by the War Department, which claimed high blood pressure made him unfit for service. He returned back to Wilberforce, Ohio.
12/16 However, Young was determined not to be sidelined. Friend and former-President Theodore Roosevelt campaigned for Young’s reinstatement to active duty, and at one point even threatened to raise his own regiment of volunteers for Young to command.
13/16 Finally, in November 1918, Young rode on horseback from Wilberforce directly to the War Department office in Washington, D.C. to prove his fitness for service. Young was reinstated to active duty, now as a Colonel.
14/16 Colonel Young once again served as a military attaché to Liberia. While conducting his mission in Nigeria Colonel Young became ill and died on 8 January 1922.
15/16 After over a year, his remains were finally returned to the U.S., where he received a hero’s welcome upon arriving at New York before being buried at Arlington with full honors.
16/16 Despite facing adversity and discrimination, Colonel Charles Young never gave up his mission to serve his country. He embodies the Army Values of Loyalty, Discipline, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. #BlackHistoryMonth
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