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SEQUENCE:19060391
CREATED:20260203T061400Z
DESCRIPTION:California 175 - Celebrating Black Excellence\nHonorable William Alexander 
 Leidesdorff, Jr \nIn Spring 1844, Rancho Rio de Los Americanos was the 
 first entitled land on today’s City of Rancho Cordova.  Exhibit and 
 Presentation anchors 2026 Rancho Cordova Black History Month  \n\nHonorable 
 William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. was born October 1810 at Spring Garden 
 Estates, Danish Isle of St. Croix, today’s U.S. Territory of the Virgin 
 Islands. \n\nHe was the first born of five children of his parents, Anna 
 Marie Sparks, of African Cuban ancestry and his father, Wilhelm 
 Leidesdsdorff of Danish Jewish ancestry. \n\nTrained as a highly educated, 
 skilled and experienced Ship Captain, Leidesdorff global travels during the 
 Age of Sail ended as he was elected initial Treasurer for today’s City of 
 San Francisco/\n\nHe established high culture values and standards as the 
 leading businessman while operating the Downtown San Francisco City Hotel 
 in pre-Gold Rush San Francisco. \n\nLeidesdorff was the esteemed financial 
 venture capital for the expansion of Sutter’s Fort in the Sacramento 
 Valley facilitating payments with the Russian American Fur Comoany.\n\nIn 
 1844, Leidesdorff acquired 8 Mexican leagues or 35,521 acres and 
 established Rancho Rio de Los Americanos as a thriving cattle and wheat 
 enterprise along the American River. \n\nLeidesdorff’s Ranch Farm House 
 footprint remains part of today’s City of Rancho Cordova. Leidesdorff 
 Ranch supplied fresh fruits, vegetables, beef and tallow to US Army 
 Stevenson's NY Volunteers who followed clear orders to "conquer and 
 colonize" Alta California from Mexico as part of "Manifest Destiny” for 
 the United States of America, July 1846.  US Military occupation of Alta 
 California was firmly in place at the dawn of the California Gold Rush.  
 \n\nJanuary 1848 Gold was discovered along the South Fork of the American 
 River. Downstream along his vast Rancho Rio de Los Americanos at Historic 
 Negro Bar, US Army Lt. Reading and James Marshall were contracted and did 
 provide written report of squatters mining gold upon his property bordering 
 the “Gold River.” \n\nThe nearly mile long gravel bed that is Historic 
 Negro Bar Gold Mining Camp rapidly grew into a transportation hub for the 
 initial Gold Mining District, today’s Historic Folsom District, SacRT – 
 Gold Line. \n\nNext week is the 100th Anniversary of Negro History Week and 
 50th Anniversary of Black History Month.  Together, we pause a recognize 
 the new beginning when US President Gerald R. Ford, in 1976, our 
 Bicentennial Year, recognized Black History Month in a good way. 
 \n\nAmerica 250, the dawn of California Africana 365 we align by connecting 
 over 1.6 billion people of Pan African Ancestry Globally for the next 50 
 years  in a good way.\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/02/02/18883766.php
SUMMARY:2026 Rancho Cordova Black History - Farm to Fork Friday “A Taste of Pan African Cuisine”
LOCATION:Rancho Cordova City Hall\nAmerican River Room\n2729 Prospect Park 
 Drive\nRancho Cordova, CA. 95670
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/02/02/18883766.php
DTSTART:20260207T013000Z
DTEND:20260207T043000Z
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