Charles Young

Charles Young was a renowned African American United States Army officer, diplomat, and educator who served as a Buffalo Soldier and later became the first African American to achieve the rank of Colonel (United States) in the United States Army. He was a graduate of United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he was mentored by Oliver Otis Howard and Nelson A. Miles. Young's military career spanned over three decades, during which he participated in the Spanish-American War and the Pancho Villa Expedition, and was stationed in various locations, including Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Fort Duchesne, Utah, and Sequoia National Park, California. He was also an advocate for civil rights and worked closely with prominent figures such as Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois.

● Early Life and Education

Charles Young was born in Mays Lick, Kentucky, to Armstead Young and Armilda Young, and grew up in Ripley, Ohio, where he attended Ripley Colored School and later Ripley High School. He was an exceptional student and was admitted to United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he graduated in 1889, becoming the third African American to do so, after Henry O. Flipper and John H. Alexander. During his time at West Point, New York, Young was influenced by notable figures such as Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Philip Sheridan. He also developed a strong interest in foreign languages, particularly French and Spanish, which would later serve him well in his diplomatic career.

● Military Career

Young's military career began in 1889, when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and assigned to the 9th Cavalry Regiment (United States), a Buffalo Soldier unit. He served in various locations, including Fort Robinson, Nebraska, Fort Duchesne, Utah, and Sequoia National Park, California, where he was involved in Indian Wars and border patrol duties. In 1898, Young participated in the Spanish-American War and was stationed in Cuba, where he fought in the Battle of Las Guasimas and the Battle of San Juan Hill alongside Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders. He later served in the Pancho Villa Expedition and was stationed in Mexico, where he worked with John J. Pershing and George S. Patton. Young's military career was marked by his exceptional leadership skills, his ability to speak multiple languages, and his commitment to civil rights.

● Later Life and Legacy

After his military career, Young went on to become a diplomat and served as the United States Ambassador to Liberia from 1920 until his death in 1922. He was also an educator and taught at Wilberforce University in Ohio and Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he worked with notable figures such as Carter G. Woodson and Alain LeRoy Locke. Young was a strong advocate for civil rights and worked closely with prominent figures such as Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois to promote African American rights and empowerment. He was also a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the National Negro Business League. Young's legacy extends beyond his military and diplomatic career, as he paved the way for future generations of African American leaders, including Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Colin Powell, and Condoleezza Rice.

● Honors and Tributes

Charles Young was honored with numerous awards and tributes, including the Spanish War Service Medal, the Mexican Service Medal, and the World War I Victory Medal. He was also posthumously inducted into the National Museum of the United States Army and the Fort Huachuca Buffalo Soldier Hall of Fame. In 2013, Young was posthumously promoted to the rank of Brigadier General (United States) by Barack Obama, making him the first African American to achieve this rank in the United States Army. Young's legacy is also commemorated through the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Wilberforce, Ohio, which was established by Congress in 2013. Additionally, the United States Army has named several facilities and awards in his honor, including the Charles Young Center at West Point, New York and the General Charles Young Award for outstanding achievement in leadership and diversity. Category:American diplomats Category:United States Army officers Category:African American military personnel