Blacks in Gold Rush California

by Richard M. Lapp

By 1860, twelve years after the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, more than five thousand American blacks had made the difficult trek to California in search of quick wealth. The part that they played in this epic adventure has been too long ignored. Here for the first time Rudolph Lapp pieces together in a coherent and fascinating narrative this missing chapter of American history.

347 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1977

Reviews

[SDAntoNia]

how does African American history and legal history relate to mass incarceration ? read here ... cited n in Lawrence DeGraff and Quintard Taylor book seeking El Dorado African Americans in California on page 9 footnote 13: on the importance of people both white and black actively inquiring and going to court on behalf of enslaved persons who are unable to bring legal battle to court themselves despite the fact that the California Constitution outlawed slavery! Very similar to our laws today which in fact lead in directly to increasing the problem mass incarceration.

[Darin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides an important account of California history that is rarely told. By reading this book, a more conclusive picture of the beginnings of California can be understood and, unfortunately, the facts presented in this book are not a part of the typical, larger story of California. The information is separated by topic, not in chronological order.