Start summer off by celebrating Black history and its achievements at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. Friends of Allensworth will be hosting a Juneteenth event on June 11th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park, 4011 Grant Dr. in Earlimart, a town about 30 miles north of Bakersfield.
Founded in 1908, Allensworth was created with the idea that African-Americans could own property, learn, thrive, and live the “American Dream.” It hosted California’s first Black school district by 1910 and was memorialized as a state park in 1974. The Friends of Allensworth group hosts events annually to preserve the town’s history. Park docents and staff will be giving free tours of the area’s restored buildings and historic house museums.
The Juneteenth event, designed to celebrate the freedom, resilience, and wellness of the Black community, will have music, dance performances, speakers, live poetry, skits, vendors, a community health fair, back-to-school giveaways, food, and free health screenings.
The state park entrance fee ranges from $10 to $125, depending on the size of the vehicle. Bookings on Amtrak San Joaquins are available at https://amtraksanjoaquins.com/?s=allensworth
For additional information, visit https://www.friendsofallensworth.org/.
