Who was the youngest Eagle Scout?

Answer 1

The requirements for Eagle Scout have changed over the years. Early records did not record birth dates and the BSA does not track Eagles by age. The original requirement was simply to earn 21 merit badges, thus there were probably a lot of early Eagle Scouts who earned it at very young ages. ... Perhaps younger than is possible under the current rules.

While the Boy Scouts of America does not keep a record, there are probably many boys who have earned the distinction at approximately the same age:

Rules in the Handbook for Boys since 1927, 4th Edition, mandated a waiting period after being awarded the First Class badge to earn the Eagle Award. Beginning in 1935 when the Star and Life scout badges were introduced, it became possible, if all the rules were followed, to achieve the Eagle rank within 18 months of becoming a Boy Scout at age 11. The final waiting period mandated six months of service as a Life Scout to become eligible for the Eagle Badge. There are also a maximum number of Merit Badges that could be awarded at one time, further restricting acceleration.

Under the 2010 requirements:

• Join at 11 years of age (or "has completed the fifth grade or earned the Arrow of Light Award and is at least 10 years old")
• Tenderfoot--requires physical record of 30 days as a Scout
• Second Class
• First Class
• Star--requires tenure of four months as First Class
• Life--requires tenure of six months as Star
• Eagle--requires tenure of six months as Life

So, under the current rules, it is possible to earn an Eagle Scout at age 12 years, 5 months. There are many popular claims of being the youngest, including Charles Whitman, L. Ron Hubbard, and many lesser-known individuals who all received the honor at the age of 12.

Since the Boy Scouts of America do not keep records based on age, there is no way to know for sure whose claim is correct, and the probability is that several boys have probably tied in earning it as soon as they officially could.

Answer 2

The BSA did not track individual ethnicity until recently, so it is difficult to track the first black Eagle Scout.

For some time Edgar Cunningham, Sr. was the earliest known black Eagle Scout in the United States. Cunningham was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and was a member of Troop 12 in Waterloo, Iowa in what was then Wapsipinicon Area Council, now the Winnebago Council. Troop 12 was a colored troop formed in 1925 during the period when Scout units were segregated and, with Troop 9, was one of the two colored troops in Waterloo formed by James Lincoln Page. Cunningham was the first Scout in either of the Waterloo colored troops to earn Eagle Scout on June 8, 1926. He received a hand-written letter from President Calvin Coolidge acknowledging him as the first black Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster Page received a presidential citation.

Recently it was discovered that Harry Cooper of Troop 92, Kansas City Council- now Heart of America Council -earned Eagle Scout in September 1920.

Reference:

International Scouting Collectors Journal, Vol 9, No 3, Sep 2009, pp 49-52

Answer 3

Boy Scouts of America does not keep records of the youngest Eagle Scout.

Answer 4

Boy Scouts of America does not keep records of the youngest Eagle Scout.