(SAN BERNARDINO) -- Sharon Van Johnson of San Bernardino says she is proud that her great grandfather, Professor William Alexander Payne, "had a hand in founding one of the first towns financed and governed by African Americans for African Americans."

The Centennial Celebration of that town, now Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, comes to the Inland Empire with the opening today -Monday, April 7th- of a historic exhibit at the San Bernardino County Government Center.

The 22-panel exhibit, which is touring the state, tells the story of a visionary settlement in Tulare County, which was established and operated by African Americans beginning in 1908. Visitors can view "Allensworth: 100 years of the California Dream" weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Wednesday, April 30 at 385 N. Arrowhead Avenue, San Bernardino.

The Allensworth settlement thrived economically based on retail trade, its level farmlands, county roads, and the Union Pacific rail line. Community life was vibrant with churches, schools, a library, general store, theater, symphony orchestra and numerous civic organizations.

Allensworth began its decline in 1914 when the Santa Fe railroad moved its
stop from Allensworth to the nearby town of Alpaugh. That year, the death of Lt. Col. Allen Allensworth, one of the founders, and a drought, poor crops and a failing water supply became hopeless obstacles.

Despite its slow decline over the decades of the 20th century, Allensworth became "the town that refused to die." In the 1970s, the State of California, recognizing the historical significance of Allensworth, purchased 240 acres of the original town and surroundings, establishing the Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.

The touring exhibit was commissioned and co-sponsored by the California African American Museum in Los Angeles. Other co-sponsors are California State Parks, state Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) and the California Black Legislative Caucus. The exhibit originated in Sacramento.

Its second stop at the San Bernardino County Government Center is co-sponsored by District 62 Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter (D-Rialto), Fifth District San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales and the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. On May 15, the exhibit opens in Los Angeles at the California African American Museum and closes on Oct. 5. It reopens in Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park on Oct. 11 to coincide with the Centennial Celebration.

According to state Senator Ridley-Thomas, chairman of the Black Legislative Caucus, "The vision for Allensworth was a thriving municipality where African Americans functioned independently from, yet cooperatively with, the wider society to achieve self-respect, self-sufficiency, self-determination and prosperity. We still share much of his vision today as we work toward a greater realization of the California Dream."

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Visit State Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter's web site