William Alexander Leidesdorff

Historic Exhibition

Mission Dolores presents quest curator,
Queue Rolo’s Exhibit
William Alexander Leidesdorff 1810-1848
California’s First Black Millionaire,
American Vice-Consul and Pioneer

Opening May 1, through May 31, 2010

Lecture at the old Mission Saturday May 8, 2pm, followed by a reception.

Can one man’s life illustrate the limitations and potential of the American Dream?
Find out at the exhibition and lecture at Mission Dolores.

“Warm of heart, clear of head, sociable, with hospitality liberal to a fault, his hand ever open to the poor and unfortunate, active and enterprising in business and with a character of high integrity”
These are the words of the people of his age…
(Hubert Howe Bancroft).

Born on St Croix in the Danish West Indies, the son of a Danish planter and an Afro-Caribbean mother, Leidesdorff immigrated to New Orleans in 1822 where he became a master of vessels, sailing between New Orleans and New York. Learn about the socio-politicall climate on the eastern seaboard and follow Leidesdorff’s to California where he became the most respected and wealthy man of African descent. May 22, 1848 every important person in San Francisco joined Leidesdorff’s funeral cortège to Mission Dolores where he lies buried, one of only six individuals interred within the chapel.

William Alexander symbolizes that which brings most immigrants to California, the unlimited possibilities of the Golden State.

Leidesdorff is underrepresented in the history of California.
Is racism to blame?
Find out at Mission Dolores…

Gallery Information: 9 AM -4:30PM
Mission San Francisco de Asís and Mission Dolores
3221 Sixteenth Street, San Francisco, CA 94114

•Office of the Curator
Andrew A. Galvan, Curator chochenyo [at] aol.com
Gustavo A. Torres,
Assistant to the Curator
gtorres [at] missiondolores.org
Queue Rolo, Guest Curator
leidesdorff.exhibit [at] gmail.com

Suggested Donation
• Adult, $5
• Senior Citizen, $3
• Student, $3