BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Zedore Francisco, a significant yet overlooked Black figure, who impacted the Kern County community for decades.
- His family continues to honor his legacy, emphasizing the importance of togetherness and support.
- Born in 1892, Francisco was one of the few African Americans able to buy land and foster wealth.
- He served as a farm labor contractor and church minister, positively impacting many lives in Bakersfield.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The music that fills the air, the smiles passed down through generations, and the reunion of loved ones—that’s the lasting impact of Zedore Francisco.
Eliane Francisco says,“My grandfather would always say to us you children stay together in his heavy accent and we have just incorporated that into our thinking, our lifestyle and everything that we do.”
To keep a promise to her grandfather, she traveled all the way from Los Angeles, while other family members came from Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona to honor the late Zedore Francisco at their 60th family reunion.
“Not only did our grandfather want us to stay together we were all raised together so we know each other, it’s not like we are distant cousins or anything like that we were all born raised right here in Bakersfield.”
Zedore Francisco born in Louisiana in 1892, he was one of the few African Americans allowed to buy land.
“Back in his day you didn’t go and get a white collar job you basically made things yourself from the ground up so he just started buying property at an early age, my father bought property at an early age it’s the easiest ways for Africans and for anyone to build wealth.”
Later Francisco moved to Bakersfield in 1936 acquiring more land as a farm labor contractor in the Old River Area in hopes to build wealth and prosperity to African Americans like Daniel Mannings.
“He provided work for a lot of teenagers and of course his family so there for we were earning money during the summer times.” Daniel Mannings explained.
Serving as a church minister for 50 years and a dedicated member of the Bakersfield Board of Trustees his legacy lives on through 4 generations of his family.
Eliane continues, “Where just a family that will always stick together.”
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