How Negro Hills became El Dorado Hills, an original Republican Community

Black History Month 2008

California 4th grade school children and all the residents to California continue to be intentionally mis-educated about the Gold Rush era, early California 1840-1865 will be an inclusive story of authentic California History with the assistance of Clarksville Historical Society.

The founder of the Mormon religion, Joseph Smith, died after running for U.S. President in 1834 on the platform to end U.S. slavery and resent past Mormon Church President Gordon B. Hinckley sought to purge any remaining racism from the church.

Mormon Island and Negro Hill have a salient history to share in our Gold Rush Mining Region, the organs of El Dorado Hills.

When the early town of Mormon Island burned to the ground many residents crossed the Historic Shaw Bridge to be welcomed the vast majority of Republicans in the region lived around the town of Negro Hill before California Statehood in 1850.

Imagine, first California Republican Governor, Leland Stanford was a grocery clerk in Negro Hill, California, certainly where he strengthened the best of his Republican values and beliefs.

Several “Hill” communities became a focal community around El Dorado Hills and today El Dorado County maintains a very strong majority of Republican residents.

Many pre-Civil War local residents of African American ancestry relocated to Canada to escape systemic institutional racism.

California Assembly Bill 395 ~ Negro Exclusion Bill ~ 1858

~ Nigger Bill ~

Mr. President

The Committee on Federal Relations to whom was referred Assembly Bill No 395. Entitled “An Act to restrict and prevent the immigrations to and residence in this State of Negroes and Mulattoes” have had the same under Considerations and beg leave to report. That in the opinions of your Committee a law of this Character has become a necessity in California.

The position of the free negro in this state is a peculiar one, he is not the equal of the white man, socially or politically, he can not testify in our courts, or exercise the right of suffrage, hence in our judgment it is not good policy, on our part, to encourage the immigrations, of any class of persons incapable of appreciating and enjoying, to the fullest extent our institutions.

The Negro is by nature indolent and in a state of freedom becomes a ready prey to vice, particularly in our large cities. 1 We deem it unnecessary to refer to the conditions of the free Negro, in portions of our union (?), as a proof of the evil of harboring them here in our midst.

The presence of the free negro here is a constant source of disquiet, for we are sorry to say, that there is not wanting, a clan of white men, in our state: whom a false philanthropy leads to fasten the ignorant hide of the free negro, so that he becomes insolent and defiant and if in sufficient numbers would become dangerous, as evidenced by recent occurrences in one of our cities

That there are here in California many worthy and industrious free negroes, your Committee do not deny, in fact we know many who for industry sobriety and good conduct, would be a good example to many of our white citizens, but these are exceptionable instances 2

The Bill does not interfere with those free Negroes, already here, but simply requires them to procure a certificate of Registry, from the County Recorder in the County of their residence, to show that they were residents of this state prior to the 1st day of October 1858.

This portion of the Bill is necessary to render it Effectual.

Believing therefore that the further immigration of free Negroes and Mulattoes into this state is not desirable, we beg leave to report the Bill back to the Senate and recommend its passage without amendment.

All of which is respectfully submitted

Senate Chairman
of Committee on Federal Relations

Isaac Allen
C. E. Thom 3

“Negro Exclusion Bill,” 1858 LP: 1223
California State Archives, Sacramento, California