Allensworth: Two Tales of Triumph

By Gloria Pierrot-Dyer

"Mrs. Allensworth's Bracelet" and "Faith's Hope" are two stories set in the historic town of Allensworth, now famous as the first town in California established, financed and governed by African-Americans and now a part of the California State Parks system. The founding pioneers were led by the brilliant, highly educated visionary, Col. Allen Allensworth, a former slave, who had risen to become the highest-ranking black man in the U.S. Army. They set out to build a town where African-Americans could live independently in peace, prosperity and happiness, away from the blatant racism and oppression so rampant in the America of that day. Set in Allensworth during its early years, these two stories provide an intimate, detailed look into the everyday lives of the hardy, courageous, forward-looking kinds of people who were pioneers in the town during the early 1900s. It illustrates their hopes, dreams, and determination to succeed, and their reactions to the broader historical context of their times. Mrs. Allensworth's Bracelet is the story of a young girl who steals a bracelet belonging to Mrs. Josephine Allensworth, Col. Allensworth's lovely, cultured wife. As Rosabel goes about her daily life, as a schoolgirl growing up in Allensworth, and having been raised with high moral standards, she begins to feel guilty about the theft, and faces the dilemma of how to go about correcting her misdeed without destroying the confidence that has been placed in her. In Faith's Hope, a fearful young woman flees her home in Los Angeles, and moves to Allensworth in hopes that its remoteness will prevent her abusive uncle from finding her. As she settles into the life of the town, she finds love, new friends, and the courage to face her fears. This book is a good source for learning more about California's black history.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1076757456
• ISBN13: 9781076757456
• Release Date: January 2020
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 182 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.5"