VISALIA LIBRARY HOSTS
STORIES OF ALLENSWORTH
Join
us at the Visalia Branch of the Tulare County Library on Saturday, September 17th at 10:00 am for ‘Stories of
Allensworth’. With the support of the 'Friends of Allensworth' we will a step back in time and be inspired and
entertained as we welcome Josephine Triplett, a descendant of the original
settlers, and George Finley, former principal of Allensworth School.
Guests will have an opportunity to meet and speak to three Buffalo Soldiers,
portrayed by Emmett Harden, Cecelia Pope Harden and Hazel Kennedy, who are
joining us to tell of their history and celebrate their 150th anniversary. The Friends of
Allensworth will be on hand to answer questions and show memorabilia from the
town.
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is unique among the State Parks in California in that it is named for an African American Soldier and is the only state park in Tulare County. Col. Allen Allensworth was a former slave, retired chaplain of a regiment of Buffalo Soldiers and the highest ranking African American at the time of his service. He and four other settlers decided to come to Tulare County in 1908 to create their own version of the “American Dream” and started a colony of African American people, giving them the chance to make their own way and to thrive without oppression. Allensworth, at its height in 1914, was home to more than 200 inhabitants, boasted a Tulare County Library branch, a school, post office and numerous businesses and farms.
The
event is free and open to anyone. The Library is located at 200 W. Oak
Ave, Visalia, CA 93291. For more information about this program and other
library events, call (559) 713-2703. The Tulare County Library serves all the
citizens of Tulare County with locations in fifteen communities, four book
machines, and online at www.tularecountylibrary.org. Like the Library on Facebook www.facebook.com/tularecountylibrary or follow us on Twitter
twitter.com/TulareCountyLib.
