Meet Charles Young, the First Black National Park Superintendent
Subject
Charles Young; National Park Superintendent; U.S. Military
Description
A military leader and conservationist, Young made history at a time when the achievements of Black Americans were often erased from the record.
Charles Young’s life was defined by firsts.
Young was the first Black national park superintendent, the first Black military attaché, the first Black colonel, and the highest-ranking Black person in the U.S. military until his death at age 57 from a kidney infection while on a reconnaissance mission in Nigeria.
“He took whatever job he had very, very seriously, and wanted to excel at it because he knew that everyone was looking at him,” says Floyd Thomas Jr., a Charles Young historian. “He knew that if he screwed up, that would be an excuse for not giving other African Americans the opportunities that he fought for and earned.”
Young faced adversity early in life. Born into slavery in 1864, he entered the world at the culmination of the Civil War. When he was an infant, his family fled to the free state of Ohio and Young’s father, Gabriel, enlisted in the 5th United States Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment. Gabriel’s service would inspire relentless perseverance in Young.
Growing up, Young stood out in mostly white classrooms. He was one of the first students of color in his Ohio high school, and after graduating with honors, he attended the United States Military Academy, West Point, where he faced bigotry from his peers, says Brian Shellum, a Charles Young biographer. Despite enduring racism and academic setbacks, Young completed his education and became the third Black graduate from West Point.
Creator
By Corryn Wetzel Reporter, Audubon magazine
Source
Publisher
audubon.org
File
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