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Charles Young — Portrait
Portrait. National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Wilberforce, Ohio; Charles Young, 1916. Image credit & source

Conservation · Park management · Civil engineering · Public service

Charles Young

1864–1922

STEM + HumanitiesSF Bay Area

In 1903, Young served as acting superintendent of Sequoia and General Grant national parks, becoming the first African American national park superintendent. He supervised work that completed access to the Giant Forest and improved trails, while his troops protected park resources from poaching and unauthorized grazing.[1],[2]

View upward along the trunk of the Booker T. Washington giant sequoia into the sky.
Looking up into the heavens · 2019-11-11 — The Booker T. Washington tree in Sequoia National Park, photographed in 2019 by NPS/Tom Engberg. NPS/Tom Engberg. Public domain. Source

Read this story

In 1903, Young served as acting superintendent of Sequoia and General Grant national parks, becoming the first African American national park superintendent. He supervised work that completed access to the Giant Forest and improved trails, while his troops protected park resources from poaching and unauthorized grazing.[1],[2]

Local connection. Led troops stationed at San Francisco’s Presidio before their 1903 assignment to Sequoia and General Grant national parks.

Impact reached: California park visitors; Protected park landscapes. (Impact describes who was reached; it is not a place of residence.)

From institutional research

Deeper context

Charles Young and the Ninth Cavalry in Sequoia National Park

National Park Service · 2025-07-06

According to National Park Service: Young and I Troop returned from the Philippines on October 31, 1902, and were assigned to the Presidio in San Francisco. On May 15, 1903, Young and I and M Troops were ordered to Sequoia and General Grant national parks; they reached Visalia on June 2. Young supervised a civilian road crew and troops working on roads, trails, and park protection; his 1903 service connects San Francisco to the Sierra Nevada. Young supported naming a tree for Booker T. Washington; a separate tree was named for Young in 2004.[3]

Inquiry & making

Inquiry and making prompt

Design a model park trail. How can visitors explore while plants and animals remain protected?

Places

Where Charles was born, had roots or studied, and worked — distinguished from where their impact reached.

Born
Kentucky, United States
Roots / education
Ripley, Ohio
Worked
Presidio of San Francisco, California; Sequoia and General Grant National Parks, California
Loading map…
Mapped places for Charles Young
RelationshipDocumented placeMap pointSources
Roots / educationRipley, OhioRipley village, OHCensus representative point[1][2]
WorkPresidio of San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco city, CAGeoNames populated-city point[1][2]
BirthplaceKentucky, United StatesNot mapped — Broad state, region, country, or non-geographic identity: no defensible point assigned.
WorkSequoia and General Grant National Parks, CaliforniaNot mapped — Large park areas require separately reviewed site coordinates; no single point assigned.

Timeline

  1. 1864

    Born — Kentucky, United States[2]

  2. 1902

    Young and I Troop returned from the Philippines on October 31, 1902, and were assigned to the Presidio in San Francisco.[3]

  3. 1903

    In 1903, Young served as acting superintendent of Sequoia and General Grant national parks, becoming the first African American national park superintendent.[1]

  4. 1903

    On May 15, 1903, Young and I and M Troops were ordered to Sequoia and General Grant national parks; they reached Visalia on June 2.[3]

  5. 1903

    Young supervised a civilian road crew and troops working on roads, trails, and park protection; his 1903 service connects San Francisco to the Sierra Nevada.[3]

  6. 1922

    Died[2]

  7. 2004

    LegacyYoung supported naming a tree for Booker T. Washington; a separate tree was named for Young in 2004.[3]

Gallery

Portrait plus 2 source-grounded contextual items. Every image links to its source record.

Charles Young: Portrait
Charles Young — portraitPortrait.Credit: National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Wilberforce, Ohio; Charles Young, 1916License / rights: Classroom review: rights not verifiedSource recordOriginal-quality file
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References

  1. [1]
    National Park Service: Charles Young, Early Park Superintendent

    Supports: Presidio assignment, 1903 park leadership, construction and conservation.

  2. [2]
    PBS: Captain Charles Young

    Supports: 1864–1922 dates, Kentucky birth and career context.

  3. [3]
    Charles Young and the Ninth Cavalry in Sequoia National Park

    National Park Service · 2025-07-06

    Supports: Young and I Troop returned from the Philippines on October 31, 1902, and were assigned to the Presidio in San Francisco. On May 15, 1903, Young and I and M Troops were ordered to Sequoia and General Grant national parks; they reached Visalia on June 2. Young supervised a civilian road crew and troops working on roads, trails, and park protection; his 1903 service connects San Francisco to the Sierra Nevada. Young supported naming a tree for Booker T. Washington; a separate tree was named for Young in 2004.

Last reviewed 2026-11-08 · Initial research edition · Record ID charles-young. A curated, source-informed article — not openly editable and not independently scholar-reviewed. Corrections process.