Allen Allensworth was born into slavery in Kentucky, served as a Union soldier, became a Baptist minister and educator, and was the first African American to reach the rank of lieutenant colonel. He founded numerous churches, and in 1908 founded Allensworth, California, the only town in the state to be founded, financed and governed by African Americans, now a State Historic Monument. (Wikipedia) Caption: Los Angeles residence of Colonel Allen Allensworth - 1906. In 1906, shortly after he retired, Colonel Allen Allensworth purchased for his family this new two-story residence at 824 West 30th Street, Los Angeles, which was in a white middle-class neighborhood. The Allensworths resided there without friction and the house remained in the hands of the family until the 1970s. Through the years only a few Negro families have lived in this area.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
