21st Folsom Juneteenth, Stolen Legacy - Reclaiming California Pioneers of African Descent

Beginning in 1844, Rancho Rio De Los Americanos a 35,521 acre Mexican Land Grant, was entitled to the “African Founding Father of California.”

Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr., first elected Treasurer of San Francisco, first known US Diplomat of African Descent, and owner of the mile long region of Negro Bar, California was not a miner.

Throughout the Great State of California, “systemic land theft” of thousands upon thousands of acres of land of working rancheros by people of African Descent is the “Stolen Legacy.”

1849, remains the focus as the Gold Mining Town of Negro Bar is the bustling Wild, Wild West hub of the Gold Miming District of Negro Hill, Mormon Island and Negro Bar, key stop on the the California Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

In 1998, legislation titled the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 was passed, creating the Network to Freedom program.

Its mission, through collaboration with local, state and federal entities, as well as individuals and organizations, is to honor, preserve and promote the history of resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, which continues to inspire people worldwide. Through its mission, the Network to Freedom helps to advance the idea that all human beings embrace the right to self-determination and freedom from oppression.

We have invited California State Parks - Gold Mining District - American River Parkway from Old Sacramento to Coloma to participate.

The Federal program is a catalyst for innovation, partnerships, and scholarship that connects and shares the diverse legacy of the Underground Railroad across boundaries and generations.

The program consists of sites, locations with a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad; programs, with educational and interpretive programs that pertain to the Underground Railroad; and facilities, either research, educational or interpretive centers.

There are currently over 695 locations part of the network in 39 states, plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Reclaiming the Past of people of African Descent along the American River Parkway is not new.

What is new is a focused effort to distort, discredit and disparage the authentic salient contributions by people of African Descent in 2022 in the name of equity and inclusion.

Freedom is never free.

The ongoing journey towards freedom remains a battle and here at Historic Leidesdorff Plaza we align with President Joseph Biden Executive Order #13985 preparing for the next battle in the war against systemic institutional racism.