EC Ohio News

On Sep 26th, sponsored by State Rep. Adam Holmes, House Bill 253 has gained unanimous support in the House Transportation Committee, proposing the designation of the "Brigadier General Charles Young Memorial Historical Corridor" from Wilberforce, Ohio, to the Kentucky/Ohio Bridge in Ripley, honoring General Charles Young's significant military legacy.

According to State Rep. Adam Holmes, "General Charles Young was a key figure in some of America’s most important military and social history. We have a great opportunity and a great responsibility to ensure we keep the entire story of our country alive, and this specific road naming is a phenomenal addition to Ohio’s rich reputation for being the home to America’s finest military leaders."

House Bill 253, sponsored by State Rep. Adam Holmes, has passed the House Transportation Committee unanimously, proposing the designation of the "Brigadier General Charles Young Memorial Historical Corridor" from Wilberforce, Ohio, to the Kentucky/Ohio Bridge in Ripley, honoring General Charles Young's significant military legacy.

The House Transportation Committee has unanimously approved House Bill 253, sponsored by State Rep. Adam Holmes (R-Nashport), which seeks to establish the Brigadier General Charles Young Memorial Historical Corridor extending from the Charles Young National Monument in Wilberforce, Ohio, to the Kentucky/Ohio Bridge in Ripley. This bill aims to honor the significant contributions of Brigadier General Charles Young to American military history, particularly his status as the fourth U.S. military member to be interred at Arlington National Cemetery, and its approval by the committee represents a notable step in acknowledging his legacy.

Charles Young, a soldier, diplomat, and civil rights advocate, rose above pervasive inequality in the post-Civil War era to become a prominent figure as the United States gained global influence. Despite facing racism and adversity, his commitment to duty, strong work ethic, and academic excellence laid the foundation for his accomplishments. Serving as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, Young became a respected figure of his era and a source of inspiration for future leaders.

Born into slavery in 1864 in Mays Lick, Kentucky, Col. Charles Young defied racial barriers to become the highest-ranking Black officer in the U.S. Army, with a career spanning over 30 years and spanning three continents. Young's life took shape when his father escaped slavery and moved the family to Ohio, where Young eventually became the third Black graduate of West Point military academy. He served with distinction in the Buffalo soldiers' 9th and 10th Cavalry regiments during campaigns against Native American tribes, taught military science at Wilberforce University, and played multifaceted roles throughout his career, from superintendent at Sequoia National Park to military attaché in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Liberia. In 1916, he led troops into Mexico during the pursuit of Pancho Villa. While high blood pressure initially blocked his promotion during World War I, his dedication led to reinstatement and a promotion to colonel, though he was not deployed to Europe. He continued training Black recruits in Ohio and Illinois and later served in Liberia, where he received recognition from the NAACP for his work. Young's remarkable journey concluded with his untimely death in Nigeria in 1922, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and achievement that Governor Andy Beshear honored by posthumously elevating him to the rank of honorary brigadier general in Kentucky in 2020.

The proposed Brigadier General Charles Young Memorial Historical Corridor spans approximately 85 miles in Kentucky, running from Camp Nelson to the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge in Maysville. There is a request to extend the corridor into Ohio, beginning at the bridge and stretching for another 85 miles to reach the Charles Young and Buffalo Soldiers National Monument.