 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Allen akarerwa nevabereki vake vokubereka muNorfolk, kwaakapinda chikoro chevana vokuAmerica vokuAfrica kwemakore maviri. Chikoro chacho chakanga chavharwa somugumisiro wokupanduka kwaNat Turner kwevarandara1831. Kwakanga kusina chikoro chavana vane ruvara muFort Monroe, asi akagamuchira dzidzo isina kurongwa kubva kumasoja eHurumende, kubatanidza vamwe vechiFrench nechiGerman. Akanga ane mukana wokuenda kumaraibhurari uye akanga achizvidzidzisa kusvika pamwero wakati, asi akashandisa mikana mishomanene yedzidzo yaiwanika kumukomana mutema. Mumwe mudzidzisi akamukurudzira kuna Gerrit Smith, mupfumi aifarira kubviswa kwevaranda uye aiita mabasa okuyamura, uyo akabatsirawo pamwe chete naLewis Tappan, zvichiita kuti Allen akwanise kupinda Oneida Institute. Oneida yakanga iri koreji yokutanga munyika kugamuchira vanhu vokuAfrica vokuAmerica senhau yomutemo; yakanga iri nzvimbo ine simba yokurambidza kuchengeta varanda. 