We live in a state with a rich pioneer history. Those who settled our state (and our country) were a courageous lot!

This week we have two different California history presentations, both sponsored by the fabulous staff at the California State PORTS Program (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students).

Two programs—are you wondering why? We weren’t able to schedule the same program for our Tuesday and Wednesday sections. Our PORTS speakers will both take us back in time to appreciate a chapter in California history.

Our Tuesday program (note the 9:00 AM time change) features Tyler Markley of the Sonoma State History Park speaking on “The Bear Flag Revolt.”

Our Wednesday program features Dorian Yarnelson of Colonel Allensworth State Park  speaking on “Allensworth and the California Buffalo Soldier Trail.”

This week I’ve prepared a double website for you, with readings and videos about each of our two programs. The Bear Flag Lesson comes first, and as you scroll down the website you’ll come to Allensworth.

The following was excerpted from several thorough accounts on history.com.

On June 14, 1846 in Sonoma, California, a group of American settlers took up arms against Mexican rule in California. These men arrested General Mariano Vallejo and declared that California was no longer part of Mexico. They proclaimed the independent Republic of California, and raised a flag with a grizzly bear and star in Sonoma’s city plaza.

This event, known as the Bear Flag Revolt, was a turning point in California’s history.

The republic was short-lived because soon after the Bear Flag was raised, the U.S. military began occupying California, which went on to join the union in 1850. The Bear Flag became the official state flag in 1911.

At dawn on June 14, 1846, a ragtag group of about 30 gun-toting Americans entered Sonoma, which at the time was a small town in the Mexican territory of Alta California. Prepared to take the town by force, they instead sat for brandy with Col. Mariano Vallejo of the Mexican army and accepted his surrender. For the next 25 days, California was an independent nation: the California Republic.

Known as the Bear Flag Revolt, a reference to the short-lived republic’s flag, this event was something between an American invasion and a miniature war of independence. Though the fighting was limited and the country it established lasted less than a month, the Bear Flag Revolt led directly to the American acquisition of what is now its most populous state.

In the mid-19th century, Mexico still controlled vast swaths of what is now the Southwest United States. In 1835, a revolt began in the Mexican province of Texas. Although the United States was officially neutral, Americans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston led a rebellion against Mexican rule, and hundreds of Americans, including members of the U.S. Army, joined the fight. The result was the Republic of Texas, an independent nation ruled by American settlers, which was then absorbed into the United States in 1846—triggering the Mexican-American War.

According to Dr. Linda Heidenreich, whose book This Land Was Mexican Once examines the Latino experience of the Bear Flag Revolt and similar insurrections, the annexation of Texas made it clear to the Californios—Mexican residents of the province of Alta California—that their government was too poor, too unstable and too weak to stop American settlers from overrunning California. Some argued in favor of independence. Others considered inviting the United States to take over.

Fremont made several major expeditions to the West. The first was in 1842 when he lead an expedition to explore beyond the Mississippi River all the way to the Rocky Mountains. With Kit Carson and a group of men recruited from a community of French trappers, Frémont reached the mountains. Climbing a high peak, he placed an American flag on top.

Many Americans took special pride in Frémont placing an American flag atop a high mountain in the West. Foreign powers—Spain to the south and Britain to the north—had their own claims on much of the West. And Frémont, acting purely on his own impulse, had seemed to claim the distant West for the United States.

His second expedition was in 1843, to find a route across the Rocky Mountains to Oregon. Returning to Washington, D.C. he wrote and published his second report.

A book of his two expedition reports was published and became extremely popular. Many Americans who made the decision to move westward did so after reading Frémont’s stirring reports of his travels in the great spaces of the West. Frémont's writings helped create great national interest in opening the West.

In 1845 Frémont, who had accepted a commission in the U.S. Army, returned to California and became active in rebelling against Spanish rule and starting the Bear Flag Republic in northern California.

For disobeying orders in California, Frémont was arrested and found guilty at a court-martial hearing. President James K. Polk overturned the proceedings, but Frémont resigned from the Army.

While Frémont was often caught up in controversy, he did provide Americans in the 1840s with reliable accounts of what was to be found in the distant West. During much of his lifetime, he was considered by many to be a heroic figure, and he played a major role in opening the West to settlement.

Aware that skirmishes had broken out along the Rio Grande in April, and that Mexican forces were preparing to defend California, Frémont decided to return to Mexican territory in mid-May. On May 13, with Mexico enraged by the American annexation of Texas, the United States declared war on its neighbor to the South. It remains unclear when Frémont learned that war had formally broken out, but his instincts proved correct and allowed him to take some of the first actions of the Mexican-American War.

Frémont re-entered California in late May and met with a group of American settlers in the Sonoma Valley on June 8. Having refused a Mexican order to leave, the settlers were primed to launch the “spontaneous” revolt Frémont hoped to incite. On June 10, settlers and members of Frémont’s expedition attacked a Mexican lieutenant and made off with his herd of horses. The fighting had begun.

Three days later, a party set out for Sonoma. Riding into the city at dawn, they arrived at the Casa Grande, where Col. Vallejo invited them in to discuss his surrender. Californians had divided opinions about American annexation—many were fiercely resistant—but some felt American rule was preferable to the threat of Russian invasion. Also, a growing number of Californios, Vallejo included, had come to realize that Mexico was simply not willing to put up a fight over Alta California.

After accepting Vallejo’s official surrender, the Americans elected William B. Ide as their leader, declared the foundation of a new republic and hoisted a hastily assembled flag featuring a California grizzly bear over the Sonoma barracks. Though technically named the California Republic, the new nation came to be known as the Bear Flag Republic, and its founders were colloquially known as Bear Flaggers, Bears or Osos (“bears” in Spanish).

For the rest of June, the Bears and Frémont’s men engaged in skirmishes with Mexican forces, seized key points around what is now San Francisco, and rallied more white settlers to their cause.

At the beginning of July, Commodore John Sloat, commander of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific fleet, arrived at Monterey Bay. Like Frémont, he had been ordered to attack as soon as war was declared, but acted upon instinct instead of waiting to hear of an official declaration. The Navy seized Monterey on July 7, declaring California a part of the United States. Two days later, the Bear Flag Revolt officially ended as California was absorbed into the union. The Californios formally ceded Alta California in 1847 with the Treaty of Cahuenga. California officially became the 31st state on September 9, 1850.

In 1848, just before California’s formal annexation, gold was discovered in Coloma, near Sacramento. The ensuing gold rush transformed California from a region sparsely populated with Hispanics and Native Americans to a bustling economic center controlled by white Americans—and with many more on the way.

A modified version of the original bear flag became California’s state flag in 1911, roughly a decade before the California grizzly bear went extinct. Though it lasted a total of just 25 days, the California Republic’s name and symbols now adorn perhaps the most distinctive state flag in the United States. 

With these details to provide background to the story, you can learn even more from our speaker’s presentation. I always wondered the story behind the flag of California (I even have a t-shirt depicting that bear!). This piece of history symbolizes a particular fighting spirit and quest for independence—characteristic of the Golden State.

Bear Flag Revolt and William B. Ide. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://californiapioneer.com/historic-events/bear-flag-revolt/

McNamara, R. (2019). Biography of John C. Fremont. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/john-c-fremont-biography-1773598

Wood, S. (2020). The Bear Flag Revolt. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/news/california-independence-bear-flag-revolt

There are several parts to this story. We’ll begin with a general history of the Buffalo Soldiers. Then we’ll learn about the amazing Colonel Allen Allensworth and his work with the Buffalo Soldiers. Our speaker will help us tie together these tales.

Initially, the Buffalo Soldier regiments were commanded by whites, and African American troops often faced extreme racial prejudice from the Army establishment. Many officers, including George Armstrong Custer, refused to command black regiments, even though it cost them promotions in rank. In addition, African Americans could only serve west of the Mississippi River, because many whites didn't want to see armed black soldiers in or near their communities. And in areas where Buffalo Soldiers were stationed, they sometimes suffered deadly violence at the hands of civilians.

The Buffalo Soldiers' main duty was to support the nation's westward expansion by protecting settlers, building roads and other infrastructure, and guarding the U.S. mail. They served at a variety of posts in the Southwest and Great Plains, taking part in most of the military campaigns during the decades-long Indian Wars –– during which they compiled a distinguished record, with 18 Buffalo Soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor.

Much attention is given to the irony of African-American soldiers fighting native people on behalf of a government that accepted neither group as equals. But at the time, the availability of information was limited about the extent of the U.S. government's often-genocidal polices toward Native Americans. In addition, African-American soldiers had recently found themselves facing Native Americans during the Civil War, when some tribes fought for the Confederacy.

Buffalo Soldiers played significant roles in many other military actions. They took part in defusing the little-known 1892 Johnson County War in Wyoming, which pitted small farmers against wealthy ranchers and a band of hired gunmen. They also fought in the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars, and played a key role in maintaining border security during the high-intensity military conflict along the U.S.-Mexico border during the Mexican Revolution. In 1918, the 10th Cavalry fought at the Battle of Ambos Nogales, where they assisted in forcing the surrender of the Mexican federal and militia forces.

Discrimination played a role in diminishing the Buffalo Soldiers' involvement in upcoming major U.S. conflicts. During World War I, the racist policies of President Woodrow Wilson (who had already segregated federal offices) led to black regiments being excluded from the American Expeditionary Force and placed under French command for the duration of the war –– the first time ever that American troops had been put under the command of a foreign power. Then, prior to World War II, the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments were essentially disbanded, and most of their troops moved into service roles.

However, the 92nd Infantry Division –– known as the "Buffalo Division" –– saw combat during the invasion of Italy, while another division that included the original Buffalo Soldier 25th Infantry Regiment fought in the Pacific theater. The last segregated U.S. Army regiments were disbanded in 1951 during the Korean War, and their soldiers were integrated into other units.

The Buffalo Soldiers served as some of the first national park rangers when the U.S. Army served as the official administrator of Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks between 1891 and 1913. They protected the parks from illegal grazing, poachers, timber thieves and wildfires. They also oversaw the construction of park infrastructure, including the first trail to the top of Mount Whitney –– the highest mountain in the contiguous U.S. –– and the first wagon road into Sequoia National Park's renowned Giant Forest.

Allen Allensworth was assigned to the 24th Infantry Regiment of the Buffalo Soldiers—the second black man in the U.S. Army to be a commanding officer.

The following biography is excerpted from an article by E. Gordon Wheeler in Historynet.

In 1842 Allen Allensworth was born a slave in Kentucky. He was the youngest of 13 children.

During his youth, despite laws forbidding the education of slaves, Allensworth mastered reading and writing, whetting his lifelong appetite for learning. After two unsuccessful escape attempts, he finally succeeded during the initial years of the Civil War. Recognizing the importance of that struggle, Allensworth wanted to participate.

For several months in 1862, the former slave worked as a civilian aide to the 44th Illinois volunteer Infantry. But this service did not satisfy Allensworth. On April 3, 1863, he became a seaman, first class, of the Union Navy. During the remaining years of the Civil War, he served on gunboats such as the Queen City and Pittsburg. He left the navy in April 1865 with the rank of first class petty officer.

The soldier urged Allensworth to help recruit blacks to fill those positions. Allensworth did more than recruit. He decided to become a chaplain himself. Reportedly, Allensworth hoped that as a chaplain, he could improve the lot of the average black soldier, help the race in its battle to win support and, at the same time, provide a secure future for his family. Thus motivated, Allensworth launched a concerted effort to gain appointment to the 24th Infantry (colored) in 1884.

First, Allensworth solicited testimonials and letters of support from a myriad of major and minor southern politicians, Democrats and Republicans alike. Then he drafted letters to President Grover Cleveland and to the Office of the Adjutant General. In these missives, Allensworth crafted a persuasive argument. He reasoned to Cleveland that by appointing a black chaplain, the president could strengthen [his] administration among the colored people, particularly in the South. He also stated that he could be of service in securing good discipline and gentlemanly conduct among the soldiers.

Allensworth’s efforts were rewarded: in April 1886, he was appointed chaplain of the 24th Infantry with the rank of captain.

For 20 years, Allensworth ministered to the needs of his flock as the 24th moved from Fort Apache in the Arizona Territory to Camp Reynolds in California to Fort Missoula in Montana. During those years, the captain not only saw to the troops’ spiritual needs, but also worked to raise their overall educational level. Throughout, he carried himself as an officer and a gentleman. And all in all, he was quite successful.

When he retired in 1906, Lt. Col. Allensworth and his family relocated to Los Angeles. But an ordinary retirement was unthinkable for this man, so involved with the struggle to improve the position of blacks. Not least among the motives of the colonel was his desire to change white attitudes toward blacks.

Rather than spending his golden years in the California sunshine, Allensworth continued to promote the black race and promulgate the teachings of another individual who had come up from slavery, Booker T. Washington. The colonel, an ardent supporter of the Tuskegean, believed that if the race was to rise, blacks had to be willing to do for themselves, to rely on black self-help efforts, rather than on white philanthropy.

Allensworth embarked on a speaking tour to inspire and educate blacks. Presenting lectures entitled, the Five Manly Virtues Exemplified, the Battle of Life and How to Fight It, and Character and How to Read It, the colonel sought to encourage thrift, instill the value of education, and plot a strategy whereby the whole race might uplift itself. Allensworth’s ideas, however, were restricted to theoretical discussion on the lecture circuit, until he met William Payne, a gifted teacher and university graduate living in Pasadena, Calif.

Although different in age and temperament, Payne and Allensworth were kindred souls in the struggle to improve their race. Before settling in Pasadena in 1906, Payne had been an assistant principal at the Rendsvile School and a professor at the West Virginia Colored Institute. Arriving in California, however, Payne soon discovered that if black teachers were rare, jobs for them were even rarer.

Recognizing the need for unusual measures, Allensworth and Payne plotted the creation of an all-black community — a colony of orderly and industrious blacks who could control their own destiny. The two men believed that in such a community, free of the debilitating effects and limits of racism, blacks could demonstrate that they were capable of organizing and managing their own affairs.

The soldier and the scholar envisioned a black community that would make opportunities for blacks — opportunities being central to the philosophies of both men. They believed that the disappointing status of the race nearly half a century after emancipation was due to circumstance rather than color. Payne and Allensworth believed that given the opportunity, blacks could live up to their potential, and in the process, destroy that malicious fallacy. Their colony, they believed, would provide that very opportunity.

Once the deal was consummated, the association began to market the colony as a haven for conscientious blacks who desired fertile land and a community where their exertions [would be] appreciated. Within a year, the Tulare County Times reported that 35 families were residing in Allensworth. Although obtaining accurate figures concerning the early settlement is difficult, the colony generated enough excitement to attract pioneers from throughout the nation. 

Allensworth became a town, not just a colony. This is evident in the number of social and educational organizations that existed during Allensworth’s golden age. There was a small school to education all children. The Owl Club, the campfire Girls, the Girls’ Glee Club, and the Children’s Saving Association met the needs of the young, while adults participated in the Sewing Circle, the Whist Club, the Debating Society, and the Theater Club.

Along with the school, the library was the focus of many community activities. The library became a hub of activity as Allensworth residents, reflecting the founders’ concern with self-education.

But a series of economic complications let to the town’s demise.

The Pacific Farming Company’s land deal with the settlers turned into a battle over water rights.

In 1914, the Santa Fe Railroad, never a supporter of this black community, built a spur line to neighboring Alpaugh, thus allowing most rail traffic to bypass Allensworth and depriving the town of the lucrative carrying trade. The Santa Fe’s decision was the culmination of a series of conflicts between Allensworth and that railroad — and racial prejudice. A more serious problem was the Santa Fe’s employment practices. The corporation refused to hire blacks as the manager or as ticket agents of the station located in the colony and, despite repeated letters and recriminations, the railroad continued to restrict block people to menial labor.

Further, the dream of having the Tuskegee of the West ended when the bill to create the school failed to pass the legislature. It went down in May of 1915, partly because of strong opposition from the blacks in Los Angeles and San Francisco, who believed that a Tuskegee-like institution would implicitly sanction and thereby reinforce educational and residential segregation, according to one historian.

But the single most critical factor in the community’s decline was the death of Allen Allensworth in 1914. On September 13, Allensworth was in the foothill city of Monrovia to speak at a church. Shortly after he left the train station, crossing the street, he was struck by a speeding motorcycle and died the next morning.

The Allensworth community was devastated. Although Payne and Overr assumed the leadership of the colony, no one could replace the colonel. Without Allensworth’s spiritual guidance and leadership, the community began to disintegrate. Although life continued, residents began to leave. Water was tight, the land was hard to farm, and buildings were falling into disrepair. Allensworth residents were lured by the promise of war-industry jobs in Oakland, as well as the possibility of an easier life elsewhere in California.

Allensworth stood as a testimony of what Booker T. Washington would call racial self-help: the black community controlled its own land and destiny and could prove to white America than, left to their own devices, they could create businesses, churches and communities that would contribute to black America’s rise to greatness.

Allensworth has also had a role in the historical continuum of all-black towns.

Black settlements have appeared on the American landscape since the colonial era, an example of which is the community of Parting Ways in Massachusetts. Like Allensworth, Parting Ways and countless other all-black communities were a response to overt racism: they were heralded by the black press as a positive step forward; were greeted with distrust and at times hostility by the neighboring towns; were begun with enthusiasm and pride, but with little capital; and almost all have been forgotten.

The Buffalo Soldiers and Allen Allensworth tell the story of courage and quest for equality. Their struggles inspire us all.

Allen Allensworth. (2024). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Allensworth

Wheeler, G. (2006). Allensworth: California’s First Black Community. Retrieved from https://www.historynet.com/allensworth-californias-black-community/