African American Histories - Jan Batiste Adkins

Buy Now! People of African heritage have traveled to Monterey since the 1770s, when African Spaniard Alexo Nino, a ships caulker, traveled with Fr. Junipero Serra to Monterey via the San Antonio. For centuries since Nino, black men and women migrated to the Monterey Bay area in search of a new life. In the 20th century, some African Americans established businesses, bought homes, and encouraged family members and friends to settle in Monterey County. Others pursued military careers. Out of these communities came churches, schools, service organizations, and social groups. For the next century, the history of Monterey Countys African American communities have mirrored the nations slow progress toward integration with triumphs and setbacks that have been captured in images of employment opportunities, churches, business successes, and political...
Buy Now! African Americans of San Francisco documents the contributions made by both pioneers of the 1800 and present individuals who helped to establish viable African American communities in the far west city of San Francisco, California. It is an overview of black pioneers of the 19th century who had over come great odds of slavery, racial discrimination, and economic struggle to develop communities in San Francisco and documents the work of 20th-century leaders who protected the rights of San Francisco’s black residents. African Americans of San Francisco examines aspects of life and conditions for black residents, as well as chronicles the social, political, and cultural contributions of the city’s African American...
Mufflin Wistar Gibbs, born in Philadelphia April 12, 1823, worked with Frederick Douglass as an abolitionist lecturer throughout the East Coast. In 1849, Gibbs came to San Francisco and worked as boot-blacker (shoe shine stand business). In the1850s, Gibbs started a clothing business in the San Francisco with Peter Lester a fellow Philadelphian. In 1855, Gibbs was co-founder of San Francisco’s first black newspaper: the Mirror of the Times. This newspaper lasted from 1855-1857. The Mirror of the Times spurned two successful newspapers that followed five years later and lasted through the end of the century. In 1858, Mifflin Gibbs left San Francisco because of the growing racial prejudice towards African Americans. He lead the migration of 200 other black families from San Francisco to Victoria BC. In Victoria BC, Gibbs became a very successful and wealthy coal shipper. Later, he returned to the United States and lived in Little Rock Arkansas where he became a judge and a US Consul to Madagascar. He retired in Little Rock and lived there until July 11, 1915 (Lapp). (“California Historical Society,...
In 1849, George W. Dennis came to California as a slave to his white father’s company of gamblers who desired to profit from gold miners. After three months, George Dennis, who had a mind for business was able to buy his freedom from his father with the money he had earned as a porter at the El Dorado Hotel located at Washington and Kearney Street. Dennis saved his earnings, and from the sweepings from the gambling table, he bought his freedom for $1000 and started a business. George Dennis later owned several properties in San Francisco, as well as, the largest horse livery business in the city. In 1858, Dennis helped finance the Archie Lee defense team. In 1855, Dennis married Margaret Brown, the sister of Charlotte Brown, and raised eleven children who eventually raised their children in San Francisco. The Dennis family members were outstanding leaders in San Francisco. The Dennis children became teachers, lawyers, and businessmen/women in San Francisco. The desire for business and to achieve in leadership lasted throughout many generations of the Dennis family (Beasley120-121). (“California Historical Society, de Young Collection, FN-19961/CHA20111.513.tif...

We are not makers of history. We are made by history. -Martin Luther King Jr.

Recent Work

Recent Work by Jan Batiste Adkins on African American Histories.

Buy The Book – African Americans of San Jose and Santa Clara County

This book will be released on January 28, 2019 Beginning in the 1840s, black men and women heard the call to go west, migrating to California in search of gold, independence, freedom, and land to call their own. By the mid-1850s, a lively African American community had taken root...

Radio Interview – Arts In The Valley – African Americans of San Francisco – March...

San Jose City College faculty member Jan Batiste Adkins’ book African Americans of San Francisco focuses on what Blacks have contributed to the greatness of San Francisco. Jan’s book is important for all to read and I think it’s especially important for young Black boys and girls who’ll have...

About The Author: Jan Batiste Adkins

Jan Batiste Adkins, educator and lecturer, is the author of African Americans of San Francisco recently published by Arcadia Publishing Company in the Images of America series. African Americans of San Francisco is a pictorial historical account of the leaders of San Francisco’s African American communities since the Gold Rush to present. Jan was born in Pullman, Washington and raised with her eight brothers and sisters in Portland, Oregon. She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Oregon in 1971. Jan continued her graduate academic pursuits completing coursework at several distinguished universities to include Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. Jan currently hold a master’s degree in Education and a master’s degree in comparative literature from San Jose State University. With a second career in education, Jan Adkins has taught English–literature and writing at both the high school and community college levels in the states of Oregon and California over the last fourteen years. Since 2000, she has taught at Independence High School in San Jose, California. For the last six years, Jan Batiste Adkins has been an adjunct faculty member at San Jose City College teaching English composition and literature. Prior to teaching, Jan was employed in administrative positions in both state and local government as well as in non-profits. Writing in the genres of historical nonfiction and poetry have been a hobby of Jan’s since the early 1980s. Over the last seven years, Jan has developed a passion for literary research as evidenced in the content of her Master’s Thesis Literary Prose and Poetry in San Francisco’s Black Newspapers, 1862-1885 completed in 2009 and African Americans of San Francisco recently published in January 2012. Outside of writing, she enjoys the love of her husband, three adult children, and two grandsons. Her three grown children are graduates of San Francisco State, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and San Diego State University. Jan also enjoys yoga and bicycling in her spare...

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Upcoming Events

African American Heritage House Book Signing

Sunday, April 12th, 2015, 2:00-4:00PM History Park San Jose (Renzel Room) 635 Phelan Avenue, San Jose, California...

Barnes & Noble, Gilroy

Saturday, April 11th, 2015, 1:00-3:00PM 6825 Camino Arroyo, Gilroy, CA 95020