Manuscript Collections

Colonel Charles Young Collection, 1897-1931.

Colonel Charles Young was an army officer, expert mapmaker and musician. He had a long career as an officer where he served as military attache to Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Monrovia, Liberia. Young is perhaps best known for his journey on horseback from Ohio to Washington, D.C. in which he attempted to prove his physical fitness. The army, nevertheless, did not promote Young to colonel until after he retired on disability.

This collection of correspondence, papers, and photographs was purchased at an auction in Wilberforce, Ohio in May, 1983. Military correspondence from 1916-1918 comprises the bulk of the collection, perhaps due to the controversy generated by Young's historic trip to Washington, D.C. Several notable correspondents are W.E.B. Dubois, Emmett Scott, Booker T. Washington, and Jesse E. Moorland. Unidentified black and white photographs also comprise a considerable portion of the collection.

Record types include military correspondence, military papers and notes, personal correspondence, manuscript material (including several plays and a speech by Young); receipts; scrapbook material, newspaper clippings; and photograph albums. Within each series, the documents are arranged chronologically. Included are two undated plays written by Young; "Freedom," and "Lake of Life," in which Young also sketched in stage directions, settings and music notes.

Only a few military notes and papers are included in the collection. Notes on Jamaica and on Native customary laws (perhaps from Liberia) are also found among the military notes. Many of Young's military reports and papers were destroyed by the Army in 1925. The National Archives holds a few of his maps and extensive references to Young's service in Haiti and Liberia.

The entire Young Collection is not avaliable on-line. Items not digitized include Young's financial papers, a dictionary, newspaper clippings,a magazine, and a "Muster-Out" roll.

The Colonel Charles Young Collection is part of the holdings of the Archives of The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, which is affiliated with OHS.

Military Correspondence 1897-1916
Military Correspondence 1917-1921
Military Notes and Papers
Personal Correspondence 1898-1931
Play and Speech by Colonal Young
Scrapbook Material

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Military Correspondence 1897-1916

1	Letter from Edward A. Clarke to Charles Burroughs
2	Letter from Faustin S. Delany to Whom It May Concern
3	Special Orders, No. 27, Extract 68 - Charles Young Will Proceed to Macon Georgia
4	Letter from Secretary to the [U.S.] President to Charles Young
5	Letter from Reed Paige Clarke to Dr. Booker T. Washington
6	Letter from [Booker T. Washington?] to Mr. Reed Paige Clark
7	Letter from Booker T. Washington to Charles Young
8	Letter from [Charles Young?] to Dr. Booker T. Washington
9	Letter from Captain U.S. Army, Military Attache to Hon. Dr. Wm Crum, American Minister Resident, Rep. Liberia
10	Memo from O.G.V. [Oswald Garrison Villard?] to Dr. DuBois
11	Letter from W.E.B. DuBois to Charles Young
12	Letter from Assistant Adjutant General Howard to W.E.B. DuBois
13	Letter from M.E. Lacey, Secretary for Oswald Garrison Villard to Charles Young
14	Letter from Oswald Garrison Villard to Charles Young
15	Letter from Lt. Colonel Assistant Adjutant General Howard to Charles Young
16	Letter from Oswald Garrison Villard to Charles Young
17	Letter from George W. Buchuer [?] Minister Resident to Charles Young
18	Letter from Wilson Ballard to Hawkins
19	Memo from Permit Office - Proceed to Holland
20	Letter from Major Cav., Military Attache to Hon. R.C. Bundy, American Charge d'Affaires, Monrovia
21	Letter from Charles Young to D.E. Howard, President, President of Liberia
22	Letter from Charles Young to Justice Stewart
23	Letter from Reed Paige Clark to Charles Young
24	Letter from D.E. Harrison, President, Republic of Liberia to B.W. Payne, Reed Paige Clark, James F. Cooper and B.J. Davis
25	Letter from D.E. Harrison, President and Commander in Chief to Major William H. York
26	Recommendation from Colonel Brown regarding Charles Young
27	Letter from Tracy? Adjutant General of the Army to Charles Young
28	Letter from Charles Lee Cooke to Charles Young
29	Letter from L.C. Dyer to Samuel B. Wallace and then from Samuel B. Wallace to Charles Young

Military Correspondence 1917-1921

1	Letter from Brown to Charles Young
2	Letter from James A. Cobb to Charles Young
3	Letter from Charles Young to Harry Smith
4	Special Orders, No. 91, Extract 26 - Board of Officers called for examination of fitness
5	Special Orders, No. 119, Extract 23 - Charles Young will proceed to Presidio of San Francisco, California
6	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
7	Special Orders, No. 136, Extract 19 - Captain Clark D. Dudley is member of examining board and Captain Thomas B. Esty is relieved
8	Letter from W.C. Brown to Charles Young
9	Letter from W.C.Brown to Charles Young
10	Letter from W.E.B. DuBois to Charles Young
11	Letter from Balloy to Colonel Brown
12	Letter from W.C. Brown to Charles Young
13	Special Orders, No. 144, Extract 11 - Charles Young will report to board for examination of fitness for promotion
14	Letter from R.R. Moton, Principal of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute to President Woodrow Wilson
15	Letter from W.C. Brown to Charles Young
16	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
17	Special Orders, No. 158, Extract 56 - Charles Young will proceed to Columbus, Ohio and report for duty.
18	Telegram from Whitney to Commanding Officer, Letterman General Hospital - Charles Young to proceed to Columbus
19	Letter from Charles O. Lobeck to Guy B. Robbins
20	Telegram from McCain to Charles Young
21	Telegram from McCain Jackson to Charles Young
22	Special Orders, No. 175, Extract 51 - Charles Young's retirement from active service as a colonel
23	Special Orders, No. 175, Extract 52 - Lt. Col. Charles Young is placed on active military duty
24	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
25	Letter from Dr. Wilson Ballard to [Charles Young?]
26	Letter from W.P. Bayless to Charles Young
27	Letter from [Charles Young?] to W.P. Bayless
28	Letter from Charles Young to Adjutant General, U.S. Army
29	Letter from Whitefield McKinlay to Charles Young
30	Letter from Guy B. Robbins to Charles Young
31	Letter from J.E. Moorland to Charles Young
32	Letter from W. Johnston, Adjutant General to Dr. W.S. Scarborough
33	Letter from Sammy [?] Wallou to Charles Young
34	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
35	Letter from Sammy B. Wallou to Charles Young
36	Letter from Charles Young to Emmett J. Scott
37	Letter from [Charles Young?] to Arthur B. Spingarn
38	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to James Wrouter
39	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
40	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to [Charles Young?]
41	Letter from Thomas Holgate to [Charles Young?]
42	Letter from [Charles Young?] To Emmett J. Scott
43	Letter from Sergeant B.M. McKay to Charles Young
44	Letter from Charles Young to Secretary of War
45	Letter from Charles Young to Secretary of War
46	Memo from H.P. McBain - authority for public address by Charles Young
47	Telegram from J.S. Tichenor to A.L. Jackson
48	Memo from J.P. Keppel from E. Scott
49	Letter from Jackson to Charles Young
50	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
51	Letter from [Emmett J. Scott?] to Dean F.P. Keppell
52	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
53	Letter from [Charles Young?] to Emmett J. Scott
54	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
55	Memo for the Secretary of War in regards to Charles Young
56	Letter from George W. Goethals to Charles Young
57	Letter from Graves [?] to Charles Young
58	Letter from Billy to Charles Young
59	Telegram from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
60	Letter from Charles Young to Emmett J. Scott
61	Letter from Hawkins to Charles Young
62	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Dr. W.S. Scarborough
63	Letter from Emmett J. Scott to Charles Young
64	Letter from William Kelly, Jr. to Charles Young
65	Letter from Twe to Wallace F. Jnovre [handwritten copy]
66	Letter from D. Twe to Twe, Esq. [typed copy]
67	Letter from Charles Young to Clarence I. Smith Jr.
68	Letter from M. Carts Stewart to Charles Young - "Some Health Suggestions for Liberia"
69	Letter from James Howard to Charles Young
70	Letter from James Howard to Charles Young
71	Letter from James Howard to Captain W.S. Boyle
72	Letter from James Railey, Lt. Newport Volunteers to Mr. & Mrs. Charles Young
73	Letter from John Anderson to Captain James Howard
74	Letter from James B. Howard to Charles Young
75	Letter from John H. Anderson to Captain James B. Howard
76	Letter from H.O. Atwood from Edwin Barclay
77	Letter from James Howard to Charles Young

Military Notes and Papers

1	"The Colored American in War Work" from Office of Emmett J. Scottt, Special Assistant to the Secretary of War
2	"The Colored Troops" from Office of Emmet J. Scott, Special Assistant to the Secretary of War

Personal Correspondence 1898-1931

1	Letter from Wallace A. Clook to [Charles Young?]
2	Letter from W.E.B. DuBois to Mr & Mrs. Charles Young
3	Letter from W.E.B. DuBois to Charles Young
4	Letter from W.E.B. DuBois to Charles Young
5	Letter from G.A. Steward (Dock) to Charles Young
6	Letter from Edwin C. Silsby to Charles Young
7	Letter from Clarence I. Smith Jr. to Charles Young
8	Letter from F.L. Stephens to Charles Young and Members Ticket for the Appomattox Club of the City of Chicago
9	Letter from John Frecure to Charles Young
10	Happy Birthday Card from Amy
11	Letter from W.A. Stewart to [Charles Young?]
12	Letter from F.R.C. Goodliffe to Charles Young
13	Letter from Lottie to [Charles Young?]
14	Letter from William Service Bell to Mrs. Young
15	Letter from Charles Edward Russell to Miss Atwood
16	Letter from "your boy Charles" to "Daddy"
17	Letter from Charles Burroughs to Mrs. Young

Play and Speech by Colonel Young

1	The Feet of the Liberian young men
2	Notes for the play - "The Lake of Life"
3	Outline of Episodes for play - "The North"
4	Outline of Episodes for play - "The North"
5	Notes for Episode I and 2 for the play "The North"
6	Notes for Episode 2, 5 and 1 for the play "The North"

Scrapbook Material

1	Program for "Married Ladies Afternoon Club of Xenia, Ohio"
2	"The Negro in Wartime" Pamphlet
3	Card of Mr. E.H. Gerald Shepherd, His Britannic Majestys Consul-General
4	"I Have a Rendezvous with Death" by John McCraw [poem]
5	"Against All Satan's Spells and Wiles" [poem/hymns?]