​By Oliver Beckwith
MHM Board Member 

"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." ~ Booker T. Washington

Few people realize that one of the most remarkable figures in American history once lived, preached, and ultimately spent his final days in Monrovia. His extraordinary journey from slavery to becoming the highest-ranking African American officer in the U.S. Army is a story well worth remembering. 

When I give presentations about Monrovia’s history to different groups, I often mention that our city’s founder, William Monroe, had a number of occupations in his life. From farmer to Army Major to hotel manager to railroad superintendent, a Civil War veteran who eventually gets a city named after him. Conversely, Lt. Col. Allensworth's resume, comparable in many ways to Monroe, has one major difference: Allensworth started life as a slave.

By Vicky Hansen
​MHM Board Member

​Friendly rivals for decades, the two high schools came together for one unforgettable evening in 1967. Here's the remarkable story of how a student promoter from Arcadia High brought a little-known rock band to the stage at Monrovia High—just weeks before "Light My Fire" made music history. 

Just weeks before they became famous on the radio and “Light My Fire” hit #1 on the charts, The Doors played on April 28,1967 in Monrovia High School’s Auditorium.