Allen Allensworth (1842-1914) was once the highest ranking black officer in American history and founded the all-black town of Allensworth, California.
Born to slave parents in Louisville, Kentucky, Allensworth educated himself illegally and escaped from slavery at twenty by joining the army. During the Civil War, he was a civilian nurse in Nashville. A year later, he had joined the Navy serving on a gunboat in the Ohio River. By 1865, he had become a chief petty officer and then returned to Louisville, where he converted to the Baptist faith and joined the Fifth Street Church.
Educated at the Ely Normal School in Louisville and the Nashville Institute, Allensworth obtained a teacher’s certificate and, in 1868, began teaching at the Freedmen’s Bureau School in Christmasville, Kentucky. Three years later, he was ordained a Baptist minister and was named superintendent of Sunday Schools at the state Baptist convention. In 1875, Allensworth was appointed a missionary by the American Baptist Publication Society of Philadelphia. Allensworth was also a political activist and was a Republican elector from Kentucky in 1880 and a delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1880 and 1884.
Two years later, President Grover Cleveland appointed him chaplain of the 24th Infantry. He served in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Montana, where he established an education program for enlisted men that was imitated around the country. During the Spanish-American War, Allensworth served as chaplain of the 24th Infantry in the Philippines. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel, becoming the highest ranking African-American at the time.
Upon leaving military service in 1880, Allensworth moved to Los Angeles, where he organized a company to help blacks migrate to California. Over the next six years, the town of Allensworth grew as a business center for farming and dairying. The town declined with the depletion of soil.
Allensworth was inspired by the notion to establish a self-sufficient, all-black California town — a place where blacks could live their lives free of racial discrimination. In 1908, the town of Allensworth was established about thirty miles north of Bakersfield. Settlers built homes, laid streets and put up public buildings. They established a church, organized an orchestra, a glee club and a brass band. Over the next six years, Allensworth grew as a business center for farming and dairying. It became a member of the county school district and regional library system and voting precinct, electing the first black Justice of the Peace in post-Mexican California. In 1914, the California Eagle newspaper reported that Allensworth consisted of 900 acres of deeded land worth more than $112,500 — which would be worth millions in today’s terms. During Allensworth’s golden age, numerous social and educational organizations flourished. Allen was an admirer of Booker T. Washington and Tuskegee was a source of inspiration for the creation of a self-sufficient black community in central California. In fact, Allen’s dream was that Allensworth would be known as the “Tuskegee of the West”. The town’s streets were all named after notable blacks or dedicated abolitionists such as Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and Uncle Tom’s Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe.
The dry and dusty soil made farming difficult and toxins seeped into the drinking water. Sadly, the town lost its founding water when he was killed in a motorcycle accident in Los Angeles in 1914. The town’s discouraged settlers drifted away in the next few decades and the town was reduced almost to a ghost town.
The only California town to be founded, financed and governed by blacks is now experiencing a renaissance as a state historic park. The park’s visitors center features a film about the site, and an annual re-dedication ceremony reaffirms the vision of the original pioneers. Allen Allensworth’s residence is preserved and furnished in the 1912 period style and contains items from his life in the service and ministry. The most important building, historically and in the memory of the Allensworth pioneers, is the schoolhouse. It was in use until 1972, and it is furnished as it would have been on a school day in 1915.
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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CL Reader Have Not Thought of a New User Name
NEVER HEARD OF HIM, BUT NICE TO KNOW….
THIS IS GOOD INFORMATION.
hmm. i’m from CA and didn’t even know we had any all black, black founded towns…thanks for the info
very interesting. thanks for sharing!
J, marry me, please!
This article is great. I never heard of Allensworth. Good job!
I was born in California, but unaware of this also. It’s just amazing to see how much black people did when they were not allowed to do it, could be imprisoned for doing it, and were up against so much adversity. Then fast forward to modern day 2008, and its just so amazing to see how little at times that black people do, when we are allowed to vote, allowed to be politicians, allowed to be entrepeneurs, allowed to be teachers, doctors, nurses, scientists, engineers, or even janitors, restauraunt clerks, or whatever we decide we want to be…but still we choose to not do nothing! It’s like everything that these great people did to pave the way for us was all done in vain at times. At thanks Concrete Loop for the info because my eight years of Parochial School, 4 years of Magnet High School, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree “ACCIDENTALLY” left this man and many others out of the history books. I’m sure it was a typo and in mere error though.
That is really amazing! Im from south cali and i never knew!
Thank you Concrete Loop!
Wow, who knew? That is awesome an all black town, there is so much interesting information regarding our history!!! They don’t learn these things in the school system well yeah maybe during “black history month” whoopie…
Sadly, the town lost its founding water when he was killed in a motorcycle accident in Los Angeles in 1914.
Thank you CL for this wonderful post! I have never heard of Allensworth, but I definitely appreciate you guys sharing info on some of the lesser known Black History facts! Thanks!
very cool.. might need to take a trip. thanks cl!
WOW..
Man, I need to sit down and read a history book. All of this black history I don’t know about is making me feel ridiculous. Good Read
These Black History posts rock!!!!
Mr. Allensworth adopted a philosophy which I strongly believe in….complete separation from the white race. The article stated “Allensworth was inspired by the notion to establish a self-sufficient, all-black California town — a place where blacks could live their lives free of racial discrimination.”
Separation is not bad as people may think or make it look. Separation to undermine demean or hold one race inferior while considering another superior is by far the worst extreme of separation. Now separation to uplift a race to free ourselves of the injustices that black people face in America is really worth discussing. The Chinese do it. There is a China Town in virtually every state in America. And the State makes it a point of duty to use Chinese policemen to patrol these China Towns. Conversely, it seems like they put the most racist white cop to patrol the inner city (but that is a discussion for another day). Once black people start thinking about doing for themselves as oppose to be running to white man with out stretch arms begin him for scraps (affirmative action) white people and Uncle Tom Negroes cry bloody murder.
That is something to think about people…..
Thanks Concrete Loop! Very informative.
~~P.S. Proofreading is our friend! =)
Very interesting, I’m thrilled to continute to learn new things. Keep up the great work CL!
Love that you guys did this…I’m from California, and when I was in High School, our BSU planned a trip to Allensworth, but it really is a ghost town. Its still great to hear about it though…CL you guys are just dopeness!
That was awesone to read. Good looking out.
You know I really appreciate J Dakar. His insight, intellegence and knowledge is a fresh of breath air. I really love how Concreteloop has the latest and greatest in the entertainment world and then with J Dakar have deeper things that we all as African Americans need and should be aware of.
Keep up the good work!
Kym
I don’t know where you find your information, but thank you so much for sharing with us. I actually pass these posts along to friends who aren’t into the Loop. Keep up the great work, I so enjoy these history lessons!!!
I really look forward to reading these spotlights in Black History. It is really refreshing to hear about less popular African Americans who made such great contributions and paved the way for the rest of us to continue their legacies still today.
I am in Northern Cali and we used to make the 4hour drive every Juneteenth when I was younger. It is a very nice place to go and for those of you in Cali- you should really check it out. It kinda takes you back and the houses, etc are just as they were back in that time. Thanks for posting this!
Very Interesting. I have heard of him before.
So he was a Republican?
I had a chance to visit the historic park during Juneteenth!
Come to Cali, visit it.
@ 17 TATE what school u go to?? SOunds like went together?!?!
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Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been wanting a post on him for so long. Listen up my Cali people Arnold S (Our stupid Governor) is trying to get rid of Allensworth which is now a state park. Write to him and express your opinions/concerns we need this park.
9.
Original Truth (I don’t care if ya get mad)
Thursday, August 14, 2008 /
Wow, who knew? That is awesome an all black town, there is so much interesting information regarding our history!!! They don’t learn these things in the school system well yeah maybe during “black history month” whoopie…
Sadly, the town lost its founding water when he was killed in a motorcycle accident in Los Angeles in 1914.
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That was no accident those White men ran Allen over once made a complete U-turn and ran him over a second time. Every professor at my school has showed me proof he was murdered.
Good info, keep it coming. BTW, love the site. It’s positive and informative. God Bless.
#24
During his lifetime most blacks were Republicans. It was the Republican Party with Lincoln as president that freed our ancestors. Many southern Republicans left the party because of this. They were called the Dixiecrats-southern Republicans who joined the Democratic because they were against giving our ancestors freedom.
You should look up The Reconstruction era in the south post civil-war. Many blacks became Congressmen and Senators-they outnumbered the whites so the were able to vote their own into office. This newfound freedom and success of former slaves and their decendants angered whites. This anger produced the “Jim Crow Laws”;the KKK and a host of other vile actions against our ancestors.
Very interesting read. I appreciate these black history lessons CL.. Thanx!!
inspiring indeed
Love it. These Black History posts remind me of information I learned in elementary school during the 1960s and 70s. Back then, my Black teachers were adamant that we learn our history. It kept us humble and gave us great respect for our ancestors. Also, that was a time when we were called the “N word” by whites so we needed our history to keep us strong and focus on changing the Black future.
So, sorry Nas, I not buying into you current use of the word. If you were called that in your face by whites and it was socially acceptable, you wouldn’t trivialize the word in an attempt to be “deep and intellectual.” And yes, I’ve heard the CD and no, I’m not like Ole’ Jesse J, who needs to fall back and let today’s youth take the reins.
I love it!!!
Wow…this write-up just made my day.