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8 Black historical figures who had a lasting impact on Colorado

By 02/11/2025 | updated 1 year ago

Officially created in 1976 with a proclamation from President Gerald Ford, Black History Month takes place each year in February. It’s designed to highlight contributions that African Americans have made throughout the history of America, and that includes the many contributions made by Black Coloradans.

Here are some Black historical figures that left a lasting impact on the Centennial State:

1. Clara Brown

Born into slavery in Virginia in 1800, Clara Brown moved to Denver by working as a cook on a wagon train in exchange for transportation after being freed by her third owner in 1859. According to the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame and History Colorado, she is said to be the first African American woman to have traveled West during the Gold Rush. Once in Colorado, she established Gilpin County’s first laundry as well as Colorado’s first Protestant church. She also opened her home to freed slaves and hosted church services, earning the nickname “Aunt” Clara. Brown was given a memorial chair in Central City’s Opera House, a stained glass window in the Colorado State Capitol, and was voted into the Society of Colorado Pioneers.

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2. Justina Ford

Justina Ford was the first African American woman to be licensed as a physician in Colorado. According to the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, after graduating from the Hering Medical College in Chicago in 1899, Ford briefly worked at an Alabama hospital before moving to Denver. Because the Denver General Hospital did not accept Black patients or physicians, Ford practiced medicine and treated patients from her home. She specialized in gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics. She was finally admitted to the Denver and Colorado Medical Societies in 1950. Over her 50-year career, she delivered over 7,000 babies.

3. Frederick Douglass Jr.

Son of the famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass Jr. lived in Denver along with his brother Lewis Douglass. According to the Denver Public Library, they established Denver’s first black school, operated the Douglass Undertaking Company, and a restaurant in Denver.

4. John R. Henderson, Jr.

Registering to practice architecture in Colorado in 1959, John R. Henderson, Jr. became the first licensed Black architect in the Centennial State. According to 5280 Magazine, Henderson helped design several important buildings in Colorado, including the US Courthouse and Federal Building. History Colorado, however, says his proudest achievement was the home he created for his family at 2600 Milwaukee in Denver. The home was designated as a local historic landmark in 2018.

5. Elizabeth Piper Ensley

According to the Colorado Encyclopedia, Elizabeth Piper Ensley was a political activist who worked for gender and racial equality. Ensley moved to Colorado in 1887 and helped to lead the first successful campaign for statewide women’s suffrage in 1893. She served as treasurer of the Non-Partisan Equal Suffrage Association of Colorado, working for nationwide voting rights for women. According to the Denver Public Library, she founded the Association of Colorado Women’s Clubs in 1904, which aimed to unite organizations around Colorado, push for greater equality, and provide educational opportunities.

6. George Leslie Brown

According to the Denver Public Library, Brown served as Colorado’s lieutenant governor from 1975 to 1979. Brown worked as a reporter and editor for The Denver Post before beginning his career in politics. He was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1955 and then to the state Senate, where he served until 1974. In 1979, Brown left Colorado and joined the Grumman Corporation, eventually being promoted to senior vice president.

7. Barney L. Ford

Ford was born into slavery in 1822, but eventually moved to Colorado in 1860, becoming one of the state’s most prominent businessmen and a civil rights activist. According to Colorado Encyclopedia at the time of his death, Ford’s holdings included restaurants, hotels, and mining investments. Upon opening Ford’s Restaurant and Chop Stand in Breckenridge, Ford became the first Black business owner in the town. He has been honored with the Barney Ford Hill and Ford Gulch landmarks, east of Breckenridge, and People’s Restaurant – one of Ford’s first successful restaurants – still stands.

8. Benny Hooper

According to the Denver Library, Benny Hooper was the unofficial “Mayor of Five Points.” He set up soup kitchens where people could get meals during the Depression. He also opened the Ex-Service Men’s Club which provided a safe haven for ex-military soldiers avoiding racial discrimination in white restaurants, clubs, and hotels in Denver.

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