The forgotten architect of America’s first Black ROTC program

Charles Young’s Revolutionary Military Academy for Black Americans

Wilberforce University became America’s first Black college with military training when President Cleveland approved the program in 1893.

The first instructor died after just three months, so the Army sent Lieutenant Charles Young in 1894. He organized the military department, started a marching band, and taught chemistry and French on the side.

By 1898, he had trained 113 cadets with nine qualified as officers. When war came, fourteen of his students followed him into battle.

The Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument tells the complete story of how this West Point graduate transformed military education for African Americans.

President Cleveland Gave Wilberforce a Historic Military Program

In 1893, President Grover Cleveland told the War Department to start military training at Wilberforce University in Ohio.

This made Wilberforce the first Black college to get this type of federal support. The War Department set aside $3,386. 21 for rifles, cannons, and other military gear for students.

This big step happened after Congress passed the revised Morrill Land Grant Act in 1890, which banned discrimination in land-grant programs.

Ohio’s senators fought hard to get this groundbreaking federal approval for Wilberforce.

The First Black Instructor Died Suddenly After Just Three Months

Lieutenant John Hanks Alexander started as the program’s first teacher on January 6, 1894.

He was only the second Black West Point graduate ever. Alexander roomed with Charles Young at West Point and helped him through tough times there.

Then tragedy hit. On March 26, 1894, Alexander collapsed at a barber shop in Springfield, Ohio and died from a ruptured aorta near his heart.

He was just 30 years old.

His death left the new program without a leader and made Charles Young the only Black officer in the U.S. military.

Young Showed Up to Build Something From Nothing

Wilberforce’s president, Reverend Samuel T. Mitchell, went straight to the top.

He wrote to President Cleveland and Senator Calvin Brice asking for Charles Young to take over. Young arrived at Wilberforce on May 21, 1894, ready to create a military program from scratch.

He faced a huge task with no curriculum, no equipment, and no tradition to build on. That same summer, Young lost his father Gabriel in June 1894.

He bought a house near campus and moved his mother to Wilberforce to live with him.

This Officer Taught Way More Than Just Military Drills

Young jumped right in at Wilberforce. He taught military science and tactics, but also French, chemistry, geometry, and geology classes.

The talented officer even started the university’s first marching band, using his skills as a pianist, guitarist, and violinist.

His time at Wilberforce connected him with other brilliant minds, including W.E.B.Du Bois, who became his lifelong friend.

Army Inspectors Loved What Young Accomplished

Captain Henry Heistand from the Army Inspector General’s Office checked on the program on May 23, 1895.

He praised Young highly.

In his report, Heistand called Young “very enthusiastic and energetic” and said he “enjoys the full confidence and has the active support of the entire faculty.”

The Army inspector noted that Young was “eminently qualified both from inclination and ability for the position he occupies.”

Students found Young tough but fair, and they respected how he overcame the prejudice he faced at West Point.

The Cadet Corps Grew From Zero to Over 100 Members

Young built something remarkable at Wilberforce. He started with no cadets and grew the corps to 113 members by 1898.

Students respected Young because he didn’t just talk about beating prejudice, he lived it through his West Point experience.

He ran tough training programs and created thorough military courses that got students ready for real service.

Young’s program drew students who saw the military as a path to leadership jobs and career growth when few such chances existed for Black Americans.

Wilberforce Produced the First Qualified Black Officers

By 1898, nine students finished Young’s military program with skills that impressed the U.S. Army. These graduates became the first properly trained Black officer candidates.

The War Department kept their names on file in Washington, D.C., ready to commission them if needed. This marked the first organized program under Young’s methods.

It showed that with proper training, Black Americans could excel in military leadership.

Spanish-American War Called Young and His Students to Action

The Spanish-American War in 1898 tested Young’s program in real combat. Young became Major of the Ninth Ohio Battalion, U.S. Volunteers.

Fourteen of his former Wilberforce cadets joined his command, using their training in actual military service.

The war gave Young’s cadets a chance to prove themselves and confirmed the program’s success in preparing Black Americans for military leadership positions.

Young Created a Model for Military Science Education

The military science department Young built became the foundation for officer training at historically Black colleges across America.

His approach mixed classroom learning with hands-on military practice in a way that worked. Young’s teaching methods spread to other Black colleges starting their own military programs.

His work opened doors for generations of Black military leaders.

His Program Became the Blueprint for HBCU Military Training

Young’s work at Wilberforce created the template for Reserve Officers Training Corps programs at Black universities nationwide.

His focus on producing top-tier African American leaders matched perfectly with W.E.B.Du Bois’s “Talented Tenth” philosophy.

The program showed that the federal government recognized Black Americans’ ability to serve in the military. Young’s success challenged common racist ideas and proved that Black officers could lead effectively.

The Marauder Battalion Carries On Young’s Legacy Today

The Marauder Battalion ROTC at Central State University traces its roots directly back to Young’s 1894 program.

Today’s program serves students from several schools: Wilberforce, Central State, Cedarville, and Wittenberg universities.

More than 125 years after Young arrived at Wilberforce, his pioneering work in Black military education continues to shape new generations of officers and leaders.

Visiting Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument

The Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument at 1120 US Route 42 East in Wilberforce offers free admission to learn about this military pioneer.

The visitor center is currently at Bishop Reverdy C.Ransom Memorial Library on Payne Theological Seminary campus.

You can watch a biographical film about Young and get a junior ranger activity book with badge. House tours will be available by appointment after renovations finish in April 2024.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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