An Unheralded Military Hero, Charles Young

By Dannie Gore Sr.

Charles Young was the most highly decorated African American military officer of his time:

• The first African American national park superintendent
• The third black graduate of West Point
•  The first African American officer to command a regular army regiment
• The first black U.S. military attaché
• A professor at Wilberforce University and the highest-ranking black officer in the Regular until his death.

If not for racial prejudice, he would have become the first African American general.