In the introduction to this book by the
Honorable Willie L Brown, Jr. the Mayor says,
"We measure the attainment of the American Dream in the distances
traveled over the course of a lifetime. By that standard,
Allen Allensworth is a personification of that dream."
Allensworth was born into slavery in 1842 in
his home state of Kentucky. He taught himself to read and
write and to speak before large groups. He was well acquainted
with such important figures as Booker T. Washington and a number of
political figures of his day.This book
chronicles his life from slavery through his military
service.
There are many places across the nation
where Allensworth made a major contribution, however the most
significant monument to his accomplishments may be in California,
where Allensworth is memorialized with a State Park created at the
site of the town that he helped create and which bore his
name. This book is produced in cooperation with
Friends of Allensworth, the volunteer group which supports
the State Park, and which supplied a number of photographs of the
original town of Allensworth, CA as well as photographs by Victor
Carter of restored buildings in Allenworth State
Park.
