Josephine Leavell Allensworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josephine Leavell Allensworth
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| Background information | |
| Born | 1855 Trenton, Kentucky, United States |
| Died | 1938 (aged 82–83) Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, music teacher |
| Instruments | Organ |
Josephine Leavell Allensworth (1855–1938) was an American musician and music teacher. She was also an important activist. She helped start a town called Allensworth, California. She also created a group called the Women's Improvement League.
Contents
Josephine Allensworth: A Life of Purpose
Early Life and Family
Josephine Leavell was born in Trenton, Kentucky, in 1855. She married Allen Allensworth in 1877. Her husband was an African-American Baptist minister. He also served in the United States Army.
Josephine and Allen had two daughters. One of their daughters was named Nella. The family lived in different places. These included Fort Supply, Oklahoma, and Fort William Henry Harrison in Montana. Josephine often played the organ when her husband led church services.
Building a Community
Allen Allensworth retired from the army in 1906. After this, he and Josephine founded Allensworth, California. This was a new town. While living there, Josephine started the Women's Improvement League. This group worked to make the community better.
Josephine also gave the land for a new library. It was named the Mary Dickinson Memorial Library. The community needed a bigger reading room. So, Josephine provided the land for a larger library building. The library was named after her mother. It was finished in July 1913. The building cost $500. It could hold 1,000 books. The Allensworth family gave their own books to the library. Josephine also served on the local school board.
In 1914, Allen Allensworth died. He was hit by a motorcyclist in Monrovia, California.
Fighting for Fairness
In 1922, Josephine moved to Los Angeles. She went to live with her daughter, Nella. Nella was married to Louis Blogett.
While in Los Angeles, Josephine continued her activism. She worked to make sure everyone could use public places. This included swimming pools. She fought for racial integration. This meant people of all races could use the same places together.
Her Lasting Impact
Josephine Leavell Allensworth lived in Los Angeles until she died in 1938. Today, the town of Allensworth is a special place. It is a California State Historic Park. It is called Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. This park helps people remember the important work of Josephine and Allen Allensworth.
