This facility, the third, was established in 1901 on 640 acres (260 ha), several miles south of downtown Des Moines, and at the time outside the city boundary.

Initially founded as a base for cavalry, the fort was built out beginning in 1903 with barracks, stables, officers' quarters, and other facilities for this use.

In 1917 the first officer candidate class of African Americans in US military history, trained at Fort Des Moines, and received commissions.

Southern Democratic political leaders such as Senator James K. Vardaman opposed the idea of black Americans participating in the military in any capacity.

However, through the National Defense Act of 1916, these politicians were able to thwart efforts to institute officer training for Black Americans.

[6] The chairman of the Board of Directors of the NAACP at the time, Joel E. Spingarn, began efforts to establish a separate black officers’ training program after learning that both the US army and Wilson administration were against the idea of racial integration.

[7] General Leonard Wood, likewise, played an integral role in lobbying to create a segregated officers camp.

By March 31, 1917, Spingarn determined that he had received a sufficient number of applications and assumed plans for the camp would move forward.

Upon the change in leadership, Spingarn wrote to George Brice, "I feel very sanguine that if the colored people will only take up this movement unitedly, they will obtain officers’ training for their young men.

[8] Finally, on May 12 Secretary of War Newton D. Baker stated that "the determination has been made to have a training camp for Colored men.

"[6] On May 19, 1917, the War Department announced that a three-month black officer training camp would be held in Fort Des Moines, Iowa.

[4] These surviving elements of the fort were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974, in recognition of their role in the advancement of African Americans and women in the United States military forces.