--- title: "Here’s why Colonel Young rode 450 miles to get a new Army rank" description: "Teddy Roosevelt even wanted him to lead a volunteer regiment in World War I. There was just one problem: Colonel Charles Young was black." date: "2022-06-03" modified: "2023-05-31" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/colonel-young-rode-450-miles/" categories: - "Army" - "Heroes" - "History" - "War History" - "World War I" --- # Here’s why Colonel Young rode 450 miles to get a new Army rank ![colonel charles young]() By the time of his death, Colonel Charles Young boasted an incredible military career. He was one of just three African-American officers to graduate from [West Point](). He led troops on the western frontier, became one of the first-ever U.S. military attachés overseas, and commanded troops in the Philippines and Mexico. Teddy Roosevelt even wanted him to lead a volunteer regiment in World War I. There was just one problem: Colonel Charles Young was black. For the talented Young to lead troops in World War I meant that he would have to be promoted to Brigadier General. Young was a West Pointer who was so good at leading his troops in combat, he became the first black man to make the rank of colonel and even [commanded Fort Huachuca, Arizona](). Young literally wrote the book on why racial integration in a democratic society is good for its armed forces. ![A book by colonel young]() *Seriously.* By the time the [United States was ready to enter World War I](), Young was the highest-ranking African-American officer in service. When the U.S. entered, he would likely earn a promotion to a general's rank, which did not sit well with his inferior, white officers. These officers wrote the civilian members of the war department, complaining about the situation and then demanding a solution. That solution was to get Colonel Charles Young fired from the Army. The reason, the Army said, was that Col. Young suffered from high blood pressure. This wasn't true, of course, it was just the best way to go about unfairly firing a skilled officer for racial reasons. Young couldn't just complain about the fix to newspapers – he loved the Army, and he wanted that promotion. So, he did the next best thing. ![a portrait of colonel young]() *Also the most badass thing, especially in 1918.* In June, 1918, Young took to his horse and [rode the 450-plus miles]() from Wilberforce, Ohio, to the nation's capital at Washington, D.C. to prove that not only was he fit to perform his duties, but he was also fit to take on any hardship World War I might have to offer. He rode directly to the War Department and met with then-Secretary of War Newton Baker, who asked if he wanted to see combatant duty. When Young said that he did, Newton ordered a new physical assessment. It was done, albeit not as quickly as Young would have liked. He was sent to Illinois, awaiting the results. When the good news came, the war was conveniently nearly over. ![Major Charles Young, age 52, during the Punitive Expedition with the 10th Cavalry in Mexico, 1916.]() *Major Charles Young, age 52, during the Punitive Expedition with the 10th Cavalry in Mexico, 1916.* Young was ultimately sent to West Africa – a strange posting for someone allegedly too chronically ill to go to Europe for war. He posted as a military attaché in Liberia. He helped create stability and security for the country, fighting tribesmen in the wild areas away from the coast. Unfortunately, this post is where he also met his demise. He contracted a form of kidney disease in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1922. He fell ill and died there. He was buried with full military honors in Nigeria, but his body was soon exhumed and repatriated to the U.S. Now Charles Young rests in Arlington National Cemetery. His remains were welcomed in New York like the return of a conquering hero. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()