▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁All ens worth ▁had ▁been ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁lieutenant ▁colon el , ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁to ▁gain ▁that ▁rank . ▁ ▁All ens worth , ▁California ▁After ▁the ▁army , ▁All ens worth ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁settled ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁He ▁was ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁establish ing ▁a ▁self - su fficient , ▁all - black ▁California ▁community ▁where ▁African ▁Americans ▁could ▁live ▁free ▁of ▁the ▁ra cial ▁disc rim ination ▁that ▁per v aded ▁post - Re const ruction ▁America . ▁His ▁dream ▁was ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁community ▁where ▁black ▁people ▁might ▁live ▁and ▁create ▁" sent iment ▁favor able ▁to ▁intellectual ▁and ▁industrial ▁liberty ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁he ▁founded ▁All ens worth ▁in ▁Tul are ▁county , ▁about ▁thirty ▁miles ▁north ▁of ▁B akers field , ▁in ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley . ▁The ▁black ▁sett lers ▁of ▁All ens worth ▁built ▁homes , ▁laid ▁out ▁streets , ▁and ▁put ▁up ▁public ▁buildings . ▁They ▁established ▁a ▁church , ▁and ▁organized ▁an ▁or chestra , ▁a ▁g lee ▁club , ▁and ▁a ▁br ass ▁band . ▁ ▁The ▁All ens worth ▁col ony ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁county ▁school ▁district ▁and ▁the ▁regional ▁library ▁system ▁and ▁a ▁voting ▁prec inct . ▁Res idents ▁elected ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁Justice ▁of ▁the ▁Peace ▁in ▁post - M ex ican ▁California . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 ,