Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame

{{short description|African-Americans in the U.S. State of Colorado}}

File:Colorado in United States.svg}} in the {{nobreak|United States of America}}.|alt=A map showing the location of the U.S. State of Colorado.]]

{{see also|List of African American pioneers of Colorado}}

Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame is a collaboration between Denver Public Library and Denver Public Schools to honor African American Coloradans who were the first in their field to accomplish a professional goal and/or who have actively supported the African American community while achieving their goal.

The original series contained forty-one photographs and was created in 1973 as part of a cooperative venture for Black Awareness Month between the Denver Public Library and the Denver Public Schools. In 1985, as part of the Ford-Warren Branch Library’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, an additional four black Coloradoans were inducted into this Hall of Fame. Since then, every other year at least one is entered into the Hall of Fame Series.{{Citation

| url = https://history.denverlibrary.org/gallery/colorado-black-hall-fame-inductees

| title = Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame Inductees

| work =

| date = 24 June 2014

| publisher = Denver Public Library

| ref = none

}}

{{clear}}

Inductees

class="wikitable sortable" style="width:98%"

|+|Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame

scope="col" width = 25%|Name

! scope="col" width = 8% class="unsortable"|Image

! scope="col" width = 10%|Birth–Death

! scope="col" width = 5%|Year

! scope="col" class="unsortable"|Area of achievement

scope="row"|Walker Anderson

|

|(1866–1904)

|1973

|Construction Man

scope="row"|Honorable Karen M. Ashby

|

|

|2016

|Colorado Court of Appeals

scope="row"|James A. Atkins

|

|(1890–1968)

|1973

|Teacher

scope="row"|Ulysses H. Baker

|

|(1869–1933)

|1973

|Police Detective

scope="row"|Odell C. Barry

|

|(1941–2022)

|2006

|Politician and businessman

scope="row"|Jim Beckwourth

| 100px

|(1798–1866)

|1973

|Scout and trapper

scope="row"|Jerome C. Biffle

|100px

|(1928–2002)

|1973

|Athlete and high school counselor

scope="row"|Jack Bradley

|

|(1919–2000)

|1973

|Musician

scope="row"|Moses Brewer

|

|(1947–)

|2012

|Multicultural relations/marketing

scope="row"|"Aunt" Clara Brown

|100px

|(1800–1882)

|1973

|Freed slave-philanthropist

scope="row"|George L. Brown

|100px

|(1926–2006)

|1973

|Lieutenant Governor of Colorado

scope="row"|Victoria "Vikki" Denise Buckley

|

|(1949–1999)

|2000

|Colorado Secretary of State

scope="row"|Denise Burgess

|

|

|N.D.

|First African-American to chair the Denver Metro Chamber of Congress

scope="row"|Charles Burrell

|100px

|(1920–)

|N.D.

|Musician

scope="row"|Byron Caldwell

|

|(1926–2004)

|1973

|Civic Worker

scope="row"|Elvin R. Caldwell

|100px

|(1919–2004)

|1973

|Denver city councilman

scope="row"|Thomas Campbell, LLD

|

|(1869–1957)

|1973

|Attorney

scope="row"|Terrance D. Carroll

|100px

|(1969–)

|2010

|Speaker of the House, CO House of Representatives

scope="row"|Alta Cousins

|

|(1884–1971)

|1973

|

scope="row"|Charles Lilburn Cousins{{Cite web|url=http://www.coloradobusinesshalloffame.org/charles-l-and-charles-r-cousins.html|title=Charles L. And Charles R. Cousins}}

|

|(1881–1962)

|1973

|

scope="row"|Lulu Craig

|

|(1867–1971)

|1973

|Teacher

scope="row"|Major Oleta Lawanda Crain

|

|(1913–2007)

|1996

|WAAC/USAF - First African-American servicewoman from Colorado

scope="row"|Gilbert Cruter

|

|(1915–2005)

|1973

|First African-American educator for Denver Public Schools

scope="row"|Honorable Wiley Y. Daniel

|

|(1946–2019)

|2012

|Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

scope="row"|Hiawatha Davis Jr.

|

|(1944–2000)

|1998

|Denver City Councilman

scope="row"|Evie Dennis

|

|(1924–)

|1990

|First African-American and first woman superintendent of Denver Public Schools

scope="row"|Ruth Denny{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2012/10/10/denver-civil-rights-activist-ruth-denny-remembered/|title = Denver civil rights activist Ruth Denny remembered|date = 10 October 2012}}

|

|(1920–2012)

|2014

|Educator and civil rights activist

scope="row"|Elva J. Dulan

|

|(1914–2000)

|1973

|Public Health

scope="row"|Honorable James C. Flanigan

|

|(1915–2008)

|1973

|Colorado's first African-American judge

scope="row"|Barney Ford

|100px

|(1822–1902)

|1973

|Businessman

scope="row"|Justina Ford

|100px

|(1871–1952)

|1973

|Colorado's first African-American woman physician

scope="row"|Eugene Gash

|

|(1921–1995)

|1973

|Concert pianist

scope="row"|James C. Gaskin

|

|(1916–2009)

|1973

|First African-American director, Veteran's administration hospital, Denver 1971-78

scope="row"|Bernard F. Gipson, M.D.

|

|(1921–2015)

|1973

|Surgeon

scope="row"|Juanita Gray

|

|(1916–1987)

|1988

|Civic leader

scope="row"|Zipporah Parks Hammond

|

|(1924–2011)

|2022

|First African-American to graduate from nursing program in Colorado

scope="row"|Clarence F. Holmes, D.D.S.

|

|(1892–1978)

|1973

|Dentist/Human rights and relations

scope="row"|Honorable Gary M. Jackson

|

|

|2022

|

scope="row"|Oliver Toussaint Jackson

|100px

|(1862–1946)

|1973

|Pioneer

scope="row"|Ledyard C. Jones

|

|(1895–1971)

|1973

|Bookkeeper and auditor

scope="row"|Honorable Raymond Dean Jones

|

|(1945–)

|1990

|Colorado's first African-American appellate judge

scope="row"|Honorable Claudia J. Jordan

|

|(1953–)

|1996

|Colorado's first African-American woman county court judge

scope="row"|Chief Roderick Juniel

|

|

|2020

|First African American Chief of the Denver Fire Department

scope="row"|Reverend Leon Kelly

|

|(1956–)

|2022

|

scope="row"|Oglesvie L. "Sonny" Lawson

|

|(1893–1969)

|1973

|Pharmacist/First African-American serving Denver Public Library Commission

scope="row"|Wendell T. Liggins

|

|(1914–1991)

|1985

|Minister - Zion Baptist Church, Denver Public Library Commission member

scope="row"|Earl Mann

|

|(1886–1969)

|1973

|Legislator/Writer, CO House of Representatives 1944-53

scope="row"|Keith "KC" Matthews

|

|(1962–)

|2000

|Engineer- Colorado Department of Transportation

scope="row"|Jessie Whaley Maxwell

|

|(1909–2002)

|1998

|Educator - Colorado and Denver's first African-American principal

scope="row"|Thomas E. McClain, D.D.S.

|

|(1876–1949)

|1973

|First African-American licensed dentist in Colorado

scope="row"|Irene McWilliams

|

|(1896–1990)

|1973

|Musician, teacher, and churchwoman

scope="row"| Ronald "Ron" Glen Miles

|100px

|(1963–2022)

|2023

|Grammy-nominated jazz musician and composer{{cite web |last1=Hadiya |title=Congratulations to the Nominees of the 2023 Juanita Gray Community Service Award |url=https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/african-american-research-library/congratulations-nominees-2023-juanita-gray-community-service |website=Denver Public Library}}

scope="row"|Adrian Miller

|100px

|

|2024

|Community leader and culinary historian

scope="row"|Syl Morgan-Smith

|

|(1940–)

|2002

|Communicator and community leader

scope="row"|George Morrison, Sr.

|

|(1891–1974)

|1973

|Musician/composer

scope="row"|John William Mosley Jr.

|

|(1921–2015)

|1973

|USAAC/USAF Ret., Administrator/civic leader

scope="row"|Rachel B. Noel

|

|(1918–2008)

|1973

|Assistant professor of sociology

scope="row"|Sebastian Cabot Owens

|

|(1913–1975)

|1973

|Director Colorado Urban League

scope="row"|Jacqueline G. Peterson-Hall

|

|(1956–)

|2000

|Real estate developer

scope="row"|Harry E. Rahming

|

|(1895–1985)

|1973

|Episcopal priest and theologian

scope="row"|"Daddy Bruce" Randolph

|

|(1900–1994)

|1985

|Businessman and philanthropist

scope="row"|Alphonse D. Robinson

|

|(1910–2000)

|2004

|Musician/composer

scope="row"|Cleo Parker Robinson

|

|(1948–)

|1994

|Artistic director/ambassador

scope="row"|Pauline Short Robinson

|

|(1915–1997)

|1973

|Librarian and civic leader

scope="row"|Dr. Jennie Mae Rucker

|

|(1922–2018)

|2019

|

scope="row"|Edward J. Sanderlin

|100px

|(1824–1891)

|1973

|Businessman

scope="row"|Gregory K. Scott

|

|(1948–2021)

|1994

|Colorado's first African-American Supreme Court judge

scope="row"|Retired Division Chief Charles Thomas Smith

|

|

|2024

|Denver police

scope="row"|Paul Wilbert Stewart

|

|(1925–2015)

|1973

|Museum curator

scope="row"|Arie Parks Taylor

|

|(1927–2003)

|2004

|Politician, businesswoman, state representative in Colorado House of Representatives

scope="row"|Landri Taylor

|

|(1950–)

|2008

|Civic leader, community affairs

scope="row"|William L. Turner

|

|(1894–1971)

|1973

|Realtor

scope="row"|Peggy Underwood

|

|(1921–2008)

|1973

|Secretary

scope="row"|Lu Vason

|

|(1939–2015)

|2010

|Founder/Director Bill Pickett Rodeo

scope="row"|Columbus "Chris" Veasy, Jr., Ph.D.

|

|(1935–2021)

|1998

|Chairman, Denver County Democratic Party 1991

scope="row"|James "Dr. Daddio" Walker

|

|(1939–)

|2008

|Black radio pioneer

scope="row"|James David Ward

|

|(1917–1993)

|1985

|Educator

scope="row"|Wellington E. Webb

|100px

|(1941–)

|1988

|Mayor, city of Denver

scope="row"|Wilma Webb

|100px

|(1943–)

|1985

|First Lady of Denver, Colorado State representative

scope="row"|Elbra Wedgeworth

|

|(1956–)

|2014

|City council president, Chief government and community relations officer

scope="row"|Joseph H.P. Westbrooke

|

|(1878–1939)

|1973

|Physician, civic leader

scope="row"|Cecilia Kay White

|

|(1962–)

|1973

|

scope="row"|William H. Whitsell

|

|(1866–1944)

|2024

|First African-American male born in Colorado

scope="row"|Murphy C. Williams

|

|(1916–1990)

|1973

|Pastor, businessman

scope="row"|Edna Wilson-Mosley

|

|(1925–2014)

|1992

|First African-American city councilwoman, Aurora, CO

See also

References

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