Colonel Charles Young: What It Means To Persevere



Colonel Charles Young: What It Means To Persevere

Introduction

Young is a figure of historical significance, not just because of what he achieved but because of the manner and circumstance in which he achieved it. One generation removed from slavery, Young demonstrated tremendous courage in entering and graduating from the white-dominated world of the U.S. Military Academy. Chew (1923) mentions that Young's determination to succeed despite the racial barriers that were placed in his path was tempered by his restraint in the face of racial hostility. His career is more remarkable for that fact that he rose to the rank of colonel during a period when prejudice against African Americans was worse than at any time since the Civil War. Although Young's determination to succeed was often resented by the black troops under his command, his achievements won him the respect of the African-American community at large. He remains a significant figure in the history of African-American people and their struggle against racism in the United States.

Colonel Charles Young: What It Means To Persevere

Colonel Charles Young is remembered and honored as a man of unique courage and inspiration. This was especially true for those of "goodwill", who knew him, and for those who followed him into battle. He stands honored both as an African-American and in the history of African-Americans in the U.S. military (Chew, 1923). With the creation of the army's Military Information Division (MID), came his assignment as one of the army's first military attachés, in Port Au Prince, Haiti. His job was to observe the training and exercises of foreign armies and make reports on their relative strengths and weaknesses. United States intelligence was desperate for new maps and information about groups struggling for political power in Haiti. Young risked his life ...