[3] It was the only language she spoke until she was 13, when she began learning English at an Indian boarding school in Covelo, California.

[1] Because of her efforts, she was regarding as a cultural scholar by her community and was deemed "Pomo Sage" was granted an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

In addition to her activism regarding social, economic, and cultural advancements, Allen also organized fund-raisers and aided in the establishment of scholarships for Pomo students.

The Pomo people traditionally lived in the area around the Russian River in California, including Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake counties.

[1] Elsie came from a family of accomplished basketweavers, including her mother, Annie Ramon Gomachu Burke (1876–1962) and her maternal grandmother, Mary Arnold (1845–1925), both of Cloverdale Rancheria.

[3][1] Together with Mabel McKay and Laura Somersal, Elsie Allen is regarded as one of the three best-known California basketweavers of her generation.