Allensworth, CA

Allensworth, CA

Founded in 1908, Allensworth is the first & only town founded exclusively by black people for black people in California. The founder, Lt. Colonel Allen Allensworth, was born a slave in 1842, the youngest of 13 children. He escaped from slavery during the Civil War, joining the Union Army. He became the FIRST black persons to achieve his military title. in 1908 he and his wife Josephine founded Allensworth, a town where black people could thrive and live free of cancerous racial discrimination. The year 1914 brought a number of setbacks to the town. The town’s economic base was lost when the Santa Fe Railroad moved its rail stop from Allensworth to Alpaugh.  In September, during a trip to Monrovia, California, Colonel Allensworth was crossing the street when he was struck and killed by a motorcycle. Today the town is preserved as a state historic park, many of the original houses are still standing.