Land of Promise

Pamela Harris, Executive Director of Iris Films, has just informed us that she has placed her 2007 documentary Land of Promise: the Story of Allensworth on YouTube and Vimeo. In Land of Promise, Harris captures the battle to stop two mega dairies from being built next to Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, on the eve of the town’s 100^th anniversary. 

The film includes interviews with Alice Royal who was born in her grandparents Allensworth home in 1923, Ed Pope who spearheaded the campaign to build the state park, Mayor Nettie Morrison who lead the campaign to stop the mega dairies, Lupe Martinez an advocate for Allensworth, and Frank Medina who migrated from Texas to Allensworth in the late 60’s.

 Harris was a co-director of “Waging a Living,” a PBS documentary that looks at the daily life of four people that are “hustling backwards”; the growing number of Americans that work full-time but still live below the federal poverty level.

Harris is currently working on two projects, Afro Uruguay: Forward Together – a documentary centered on the efforts of two courageous Uruguayans that are fighting to make a better life for the economically marginalized Afro Uruguayan community, and Intentional Black Communities in America – a pictorial history of Intentional black towns in America.

Pamela Harris we thank you for sharing Land of Promise.

2011 BET Honors Award

Lonnie G. Bunch III, on the Red Carpet with Sharon Carpenter

Lonnie G. Bunch III, the founding director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, will receive the 2011 BET Honors Education Award. BET will air the award show on February 21, 2011.

The other 2011 honorees are: 

• Entertainment:      Jamie Foxx
• Musical Arts:       Herbie Hancock
• Service:               Iman
• Media:                Linda Johnson Rice
• Theatrical:           Cicely Tyson

Mr. Bunch, a 30-year veteran of the museum field, became a supporter of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park when he was serving as the curator of history for the California African-American Museum in Los Angeles. He traveled from Washington DC back to California to be the keynote speaker for the 2008 Allensworth Centennial Celebration at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.

In the foreword to Mrs. Alice C. Royal’s book Allensworth, The Freedom Colony Mr. Bunch wrote: 

“As I listened to friends of the community and former residents speak, I found myself captivated and moved by the passion and the stories shared by Mrs. Alice C. Royal. Soon she was taking me around to meet individuals whose stories helped me to better understand the history and meaning of this community. Mrs. Royal kindly schooled this historian, and by the time I left that fall event, I knew that I would write and later create an exhibition that would make more visible this interesting and illuminating history.”

In this audio clip from wbur.org NPR you can hear Mr. Bunch being interviewed by NPR Editor Sasa Woodruff for her 2008 NPR segment “Celebrating The Allensworth Legacy 100 Years Later.”




Mr. Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Friends of Allensworth congratulate you on receiving the 2011 BET Honors Education Award.

Stephen Hill, Sr.

Ms. Alice C. Royal Honored

In a March 10, 2010 blog post the City Project honored Ms. Alice C. Royal as part of their Celebrate for Women’s History Month. Ms. Royal, the author of the book Allensworth: The Freedom Colony, was born in her grandparents Allensworth home in 1923 and has been committed to the promotion of Allensworth ever since.


Her book is temporarily out of stock however, you can read a small part of the book at Amazon.


Stephen Hill, Sr.