180th Anniversary of Leidesdorff Ranch, Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff Jr.

Discover the Golden Legacy of "African Founding Father of California" and introduce a new generation of California students and scholars to high culture excellence that can teach lifelong values and beliefs. Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. brought cosmopolitan elegance to Alta California Mexico and helped lead the transition to becoming part of the United States.

The United States 2025 Farm Bill will provide expanded opportunity for regional and local food systems to mirror early 1848 Agricultural conservation practices being utilized at Rancho Rio de Los Americanos long ago, bipartisan leadership, once again will be worth the journey.

Historic Leidesdorff Adobe Farm and Ranch will one day be replicated and become a featured agricultural tourist destination in Sacramento County. Our California Black Agriculture Working Group journey to preserve history and utilize modern agricultural practices provides "world class" opportunities for historical preservation and environmental stewardship along the "Wild and Scenic" jewel of our American River Parkway.

Collaborative partnerships and key leadership in the Washington DC beltway will maximize opportunity for a positive outcome from the 2025 Farm Bill. "Restoration of California Black Agriculture as the Foundation of our Culture" remains a long and difficult journey towards sustainable material support in the "Farm to Fork" Capital of America.

The "African Founding Father of California" William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. utilized personal wealth and the financial markets of New York to develop early California agriculture infrastructure, a robust United States Department of Agriculture would wait for the US Civil War at the dawn of Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 on the way to Juneteenth.

Today, Leidesdorff Ranch, established in 1844, is being resurrected from the ashes of authentic California History as we prepare to celebrate California 175 in a grand fashion.

Leidesdorff's African Cuban, Danish Jewish parents first met in New Orleans and lived together as "husband and wife" their entire lives in the Danish Virgin Islands. William, first born child, had 4 siblings and enjoyed a protected high culture childhood on the isle of St. Croix.

In 1834, William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. was naturalized a U.S. citizen, required to facilitate Captain privileges, based at the Port of New Orleans, operating throughout the United States and vast Mexican and Caribbean Ports of Call.

In 1838, he was "forced to leave the Port of New Orleans; his homeport for the previous 4 years, because of racial environmental hazards imposed via legal politics via the various U.S. Negro Seamen Acts which proved impossible to continue his lucrative interstate and international maritime trade and commerce.

By 1841, William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. had settled his affairs as a "Master Maritime Captain" in the United States, commissioned the ship "Julia Ann" from the Port of New York to help establish the sleepy Mexican Port of Yerba Buena as a major cosmopolitan shipping destination.

The Leidesdorff name is well known in East coast financial circles, yet few know that Leidesdorff St. is the Wall St. of the West coast, the Financial District of San Francisco and today's Leidesdorff Highway is 20 years old, yet few know or celebrate his contribution to the forward flow of humanity.

Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. served as first elected City Treasurer, President of the S.F. School Board and was appointed U.S. Vice-Consul of Mexican California, serving as the first African American Diplomat in U.S. History.

His steamship, Sitka, is seen on our California State Seal, forever showcasing the initial catalyst of agricultural export from the Central California Valley to global markets.

His golden legacy remains an open secret buried inside the front entrance at Mission Delores San Francisco without any featured recognition by Mission Delores, oldest standing building in San Francisco today.

Beginning Spring of 1845 Leidesdorff Ranch was The Golden Legacy of the "African Founding Father of California" will provide many examples of high culture and excellence that can teach values and beliefs to raise our current standard of living. The 2007 Farm Bill will provide opportunity for local food systems to mirror early 1848 Agricultural conservation practices of California Black Farmers and Agriculturalists.
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Leidesdorff Adobe Home and Ranch could become a central cultural tourist destination in Sacramento County to teach historic and modern agricultural practices while showcasing opportunities for environmental preservation of the American River Parkway.

This opportunity is a salient potential outcome from the 2007 Farm Bill debate, "Restoration of Agriculture as the Foundation of Black Culture."

The "African Founding Father of California" William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. utilized personal wealth and the financial markets of New York to develop early California agriculture infrastructure.

Today, Leidesdorff Ranch is being resurrected from the ashes of authentic California History and challenging the need to highlight a negative C.M. Goethe racist legacy of "legal" apathete in the Golden State of Queen Califia.

In 1838, William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. was forced to leave the Port of New Orleans; his homeport for the previous 4 years, because of racial hatred imposed via legal politics via the Negro Seamen Acts which provided difficult environmental conditions to continue his lucrative maritime trade and commerce.

By 1841, William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. has sailed from the Port of New York to establish the sleepy Mexican Port of Yerba Buena as a major cosmopolitan shipping destination. The Leidesdorff name is well known in East coast financial circles yet few know that Leidesdorff Alley is the Wall St. of the West coast, the Financial District of San Francisco. Leidesdorff served as first elected City Treasurer, President of the S.F. School Board and was appointed U.S. Vice-Consul of Mexican California, serving as the first African American in U.S. History.

The steamship, Sitka, is seen on our California State Seal, forever showcasing the catalyst of agricultural export of product from the Central California Valley to global markets.

His golden legacy remains an open secret buried inside the front entrance at Mission Delores San Francisco.

Beginning in the Spring of 1845 Leidesdorff Ranch, Rancho Rio de Los Americanos was a developing major cattle and wheat agricultural export enterprise.

After the "Bear Flag Revolt" and the timely arrival of the New York Volunteers - Stevenson Regiment in July 1846, California was firmly under U.S. Military rule until statehood in September of 1850.

We must highlight the political and economic connections from of New York financial markets to early California development in an "Ancient Future" Gold Rush Era story in historic Leidesdorff Ranch, Sacramento County.

May 1966, Leidesdorff Plaza, Historic Folsom District, was dedicated by the Negro Museum and Library Association of Sacramento, led by Mr. Joe Larson.

A majestic fountain and scenic park were once highlighted by historical markers of the Pony Express, Sacramento Valley Railroad and Leidesdorff Ranch, these elements are essential to restore and showcase the positive contribution of people of Pan African
Ancestry, as a mutually beneficial points of respect and reverence that helps brings people together.

Modern conservation practices can embrace authentic historical reality while preserving our "Wild and Scenic" Lower American River from the confluence of the Sacramento and American River to just below Nimbus dam.

20 years ago, the bold and courageous bipartisan leadership of our elder statesmen Dave Cox, Mervyn Dymally, and Darrell Steinberg helped facilitate ACR 141 (2004) to establish the William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. Memorial Highway, as a first step, to encourage a broader recognition and a shared desire towards preservation and restoration of an authentic legacy of the 35,521-acre Historic Leidesdorff Ranch.

There is no greater story of the California Gold Rush than the golden legacy of one the wealthiest men in 1848 Alta California, Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. “African Founding Father of California.”

Today, it may take political assistance from Washington D.C. and Sacramento buoyed by international investment from bond financial markets to showcase the Leidesdorff Legacy.

We must highlight the strategic connection of New York financial bond markets to early California development as our "Ancient Future" Gold Rush Era story of California Pioneers of Pan African Ancestry comes alive at historic Leidesdorff Ranch, Sacramento County.

May 1966, Leidesdorff Plaza was dedicated by the Negro Museum and Library Association of Sacramento, led by Mr. Joe Larson. A majestic fountain and scenic park were highlighted by historical markers of the Pony Express, Sacramento Valley Railroad and Leidesdorff Ranch, hopefully these elements return and showcase the positive contribution of people of African
Ancestry, as a mutually beneficial point of respect and reverence that brings people together.

Conservation practices can embrace authentic historical reality.

Ongoing bold and courageous bipartisan leadership of our elder statesmen Dave Cox, Mervyn Dymally, and Darrell Steinberg whom help facilitate the establishment of the William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. Memorial Highway, as a first step, to encourage a broader recognition and desire towards preservation and restoration of an authentic legacy of Leidesdorff Ranch is acknowledged.

There is no greater story of the California Gold Rush than the golden legacy one of the wealthiest men at the dawn of 1848 California, Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. “African Founding Father of California.”

(Professional Footnotes soon come as our working paper stands up to recognized peer review)