In 1903, America’s first Black national park superintendent took charge at Sequoia; his troops completed more improvements that summer than the previous three years combined

In the summer of 1903, Captain Charles Young became the first Black acting superintendent of a national park when he took charge of Sequoia and General Grant national parks in California. His assignment lasted only one summer, but during that time, he oversaw major work on roads and trails while Buffalo Soldiers helped protect the parks.

Young was serving as a captain of an all-Black regiment at San Francisco's Presidio when he was asked to take troops to Sequoia and General Grant national parks. The parks, which today encompass Sequoia National Park and part of Kings Canyon National Park, were still relatively undeveloped and difficult to access.

Charles Young took charge at Sequoia in 1903

On May 20, 1903, 96 enlisted men from Troops I and M of the 9th Cavalry left San Francisco for assignments at the parks. The soldiers were among the Buffalo Soldiers who served in the national parks during the period when the U.S. Army was responsible for their administration.


The Army had been managing the parks since 1891. Soldiers spent their summers protecting the areas from poaching, illegal logging and unauthorized livestock grazing, while also working on roads, trails and other infrastructure.

By 1900, Congress had authorized $10,000 annually for improving access to the parks. The Army had been working on an old wagon road leading toward Giant Forest from what is now Three Rivers, California.

But progress had been slow. After three summers of work, barely five miles of road had been constructed.

Young accelerated work on the Giant Forest road

Young asked to begin work early and supervised the construction manager and civilian roadworkers. Under his direction, crews continued improving the road toward Giant Forest.

By the middle of August 1903, wagons could travel to the sequoia groves for the first time. The road was later extended to the base of Moro Rock. Young reported that the road had been built with a grade of less than 8 percent and said he expected it to allow many more tourists to reach the area.

An official 1903 report also praised the road and trail work carried out under Young, saying the quantity of work was largely in excess of that completed in previous years with the same amount of money. The report noted that a good road to Giant Forest had been completed.

The improved road made the giant sequoia groves accessible by wagon to the general public for the first time.

Buffalo Soldiers improved trails and protected the parks

Road construction was only part of Young's work that summer.

During his tenure, the parks reported no poaching violations. Soldiers on the eastern side of the Sierra also stopped domestic sheep from entering the parks and illegally grazing. More than 18 miles of trails were improved, including the trail between Giant Forest and Mineral King.

NPS also credits Young's Buffalo Soldiers with completing the first usable road into Giant Forest and the first trail to the top of Mount Whitney in 1903.

Young also worked with private landowners whose properties were surrounded by the parks. He convinced a majority of them to sign contracts agreeing to sell their inholdings, particularly around Giant Forest, although the contracts were not fully executed after he left.

Young's one summer at Sequoia became part of his legacy

Young's assignment as acting superintendent lasted just one summer. Afterward, he was posted as a military attaché in Haiti and later served in Liberia. He also saw combat during the 1916 Pershing expedition in Mexico.

In July 1917, Young was medically retired and promoted to colonel. He later rode roughly 500 miles on horseback from Wilberforce, Ohio, to Washington, D.C., to demonstrate his fitness for military service. The Secretary of War gave him an informal hearing but did not reverse the retirement decision. Young remained on the active-duty list and was recalled to active duty in November 1918 to help train African-American recruits at Camp Grant in Illinois.

His 1903 summer at Sequoia and General Grant national parks remains an important chapter in the history of the national parks. Young oversaw road and trail construction while Buffalo Soldiers protected the parks from poaching and illegal grazing, helping make the giant sequoia groves more accessible to the public.