Grace

I was curious as to what became of Alphaeus’ ex-wife Grace Fisher. I continued to research her life and discovered she had an equally noteworthy life; a successful entrepreneur, educator and pioneer in the fashion industry. She was also a columnist for the California Eagle and the Los Angeles Sentinel newspapers. A socialite, her life was filled with great achievements and tantalizing scandals that played out in newspapers. 

Grace forged her own path in a time where few opportunities existed for African American women. Grace was a renaissance woman, a woman of her time. I’m surprised her story remains untold- until now.

(Article: Los Angeles Sentinel, February 19, 1948)

Read more about the extraordinary life of Grace Fisher in Alphaeus Prowell: An Unordinary Life.

Fighters for Freedom

This article in the California Eagle newspaper dated June 25, 1942, paid tribute to the heroic efforts of the African American men from the Los Angeles area who fought in the Spanish Civil War. 

Read more of the article in the book, Alphaeus Prowell: An Unordinary Life

Sophie and Mayme: The Women Alphaeus Loved

Man behind the Revolutionary. What made Alphaeus human was the inclusion of his love life in the letters. When he wrote about Sophie it was with still raw emotions. Undoubtedly, she was someone he cared deeply about and couldn’t release from his heart. Then there was Mayme Reed. Alpheus spent his last days with her before he traveled to Spain. The letters are somewhat ambiguous on the nature of their relationship. 

Who is Comrade Harry?

I tried to identify “Comrade Harry” through people Alphaeus named in the letters, but I found no strong connections. “Comrade Harry” was definitely someone that Alphaeus considered not only a brother in the struggle, but also a friend and confidant. There was a moment in the letters, after the loss of close comrades killed in the war, that Alphaeus contemplated his own fate. He relied on, “Comrade Harry” to prepare his family in the event he didn’t return home. 

Researching Alphaeus

I had to know more about the attractive young man in the photograph. In 2010, I began what became a fascinating journey to uncover the life of Alphaeus Prowell. The decision to publish my research was based on the significant amount of information I located on him. Amazingly, the details of his everyday life were reported in newspapers. The articles are now a lasting record of his life and experiences. 

Back in 1999, before I became interested in genealogy, I saw the documentary Black Press: Soldiers without Swords, a film on the history of the Black Press in America. Unbeknownst, to me at the time, was how significant the role historical black newspapers would play in the tracing of my own family history. 

New Book Release

Alphaeus Prowell: An Unordinary Life

by Dawn Rolland

A stunning genealogy picture book, that tells the remarkable life story of Alphaeus Prowell. The son of a prominent minister, Alphaeus was afforded opportunities unimaginable to most African Americans of his time. An Unordinary Life is filled with an impressive collection of images and historical newspaper articles dating back to 1924. These articles offer a fascinating look into the life of this once celebrated athlete and political activist.

eBook available for purchase on Lulu