In 1926, American historian Carter Woodson established Black History Week to commemorate and celebrate the contributions made by people of African descent. In 1976, the celebration was expanded into a month-long commemoration to recognize the history, achievements, culture, and influences of the Black community. Today, we continue to pay tribute and honor all the Black men and women that played a significant role in the conservation of Black representation, identity, and diversity in our nation.
Individuals and organizations can celebrate Black History Month by reflecting on the 400 years of Black history and heritage, supporting Black-owned businesses, and visiting historic sites.
In Tulare County, about 30 miles north of Bakersfield, there is a historic town that was founded in 1908 by five settlers, led by Colonel Allen Allensworth. The town, Allensworth, was founded, financed, and governed solely by African Americans with the goal of achieving the American Dream. By 1918, Allensworth was home to several hundreds African Americans. By 1966, Allensworth was no longer home to residents. However, in 1974, in order to preserve the rich heritage of the site, the California State Parks purchased the land and established the Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. Today, a collection of restored and reconstructed 20th century buildings are available for visitors to explore and see what Allenworth looked like in the 1900s.
The Friends of Allensworth, a nonprofit association who's mission is to support the historic park's educational and interpretive work, offers resources to learn more about Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park and on-site tours. The Friends of Allensworth have four major annual events where Amtrak San Joaquins offers special services to riders where they can travel to Allensworth conveniently by train. In honor of this year's Black History Month, Friends of Allensworth will be hosting a virtual celebration on February 20, 2021 at 11:00 AM on their Facebook page: @Friendsofallensworthofficial. For the 2021 year, Amtrak San Joaquins is unable to provide services to Allensworth due to scheduling restrictions and the park limiting visitors.
Black History Month Celebration, second Saturday in February
Old Time Jubilee, third Saturday in May
Juneteenth Celebration, second Saturday in June
Annual Re-dedication, second Saturday in October
(September 23, Stockton, CA) – Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is holding its annual celebratory Rededication event on Saturday, October 11 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. In partnership, Amtrak San Joaquins has scheduled a special stop at the park for multiple trains, bookable at exclusive half-price “Allensworth fares.”
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Last Updated: September 13, 2:00pm Attention Passengers: Later departure for 715 from September 14 – October 3 Train 715 will depart one hour later than usual while trains 714 and 717 are temporarily suspended. We recognize these service changes are not ideal and may be inconvenient. Your patience and understaning are appreciated as these service […]
View MoreLast Updated: September 13, 2:00pm Attention Passengers: Bus Bridge and Slow Orders from September 14 – October 9. BNSF will be performing important track maintenance and require a temporary Bus Bridge for Train 711 and 718 between Fresno and Bakersfield from Sunday to Thursday, each week, beginning September 14 – October 9. Slow orders will […]
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