On October 15, 2012 Allen Allensworth was posthumously
inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame.
Formed in 1995, the Hall of Fame acknowledges men and women that have made distinguished
contributions to the field of adult and continuing education.
Chaplain Allensworth was honored as a practitioner and
pioneer in adult education for his educational contributions and achievements
during his service with the 24th Infantry Regiment, an all Black
regiment of “Buffalo Soldiers.”
Most of the soldiers in the 24th Infantry
Regiment were former slaves or sons of former slaves that were not permitted to
learn how to read and write. As the regiment’s chaplain the education of these
soldiers fell on Allensworth. However
the Army gave chaplains little guidance and very limited supplies and
materials. Allensworth took it upon himself to develop an educational program
that would later be used Army wide.
In 1891 Allensworth traveled at his own expense to the
National Education Association conference in Toronto, Canada, where he lectured
on “The History and Progress of Military Education in the United States.” Chaplain
Allensworth’s commitment to education not only enriched the lives of the
soldiers in the 24th Infantry Regiment but also enriched the lives
of soldiers all across the United States Army.
A plaque with a photograph of Colonel Allensworth and a description of his
contributions to the field of adult education is displayed at the International
Adult and Continuing Education Hal of Fame, located at the University of
Oklahoma’s Oklahoma Center for Continuing Education in Norman, Oklahoma.
Chaplain Allensworth and the other inductees are profited on the Hall of Fame
website.
