# @nationalparkservice on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DMqUa7foCAI
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/32779272-nationalparkservice-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/31a143f410.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-07-28T18:17:58.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** National Park Service (@nationalparkservice) — https://gondola.cc/nationalparkservice

## Caption

From the wild Alaskan wilderness to the lava-flowing fields of Hawaii, to the giant sequoias of northern California, the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers extends well beyond the plains of the western frontier. Since the inception of the segregated Army units of African American soldiers in 1866, the Buffalo Soldiers served in various parts of the United States in many roles. The nickname “Buffalo Soldiers” is believed to have originated from Native American tribes who fought against them during the American Indian Wars. The term was used to describe the soldiers’ dark, curly hair, which resembled the fur of the buffalo.

Captain Charles Young served with Troop I, 9th Cavalry Regiment. In the summer of 1903, Young, a captain in the 9th Calvary Regiment, became the first African American national park Superintendent when he and his unit were tasked to manage and maintain Sequoia National Park in northern California. At that time, the military supervised all national parks. Under Young’s leadership, 11 miles of roads and 18 miles of trail improvements were constructed.

Today, you can discover the history and legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers in many national parks, as well as Young’s story as a soldier, military attaché, park superintendent, and more at Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Ohio. @charlesyoungnps 

#BuffaloSoldiersDay 

Image 1: The 24th Infantry of Buffalo Soldiers that carried out mounted patrol duties in Yosemite National Park. ca. 1899. Captain Charles Young, ca. 1903, courtesy of the National Afro American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce, Ohio.
Image 2: Captain Charles Young, ca. 1903, courtesy of the National Afro American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce, Ohio.
Image 3: View of the large trunk of the Colonel Young Tree at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Image 4: The cover of the “Report of the Acting Superintendent of the Sequoia and General Grant National Parks in the State of California to the Secretary of the Interior.”
Image 5: The Charles Young House in Wilberforce, Ohio, was purchased by Young in 1907 and is designated a National Historic Landmark.

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## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National Park Service | @nationalparkservice | https://gondola.cc/nationalparkservice | Government Organization |

## Tags

buffalosoldiersday

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