PRESS CONTACT:
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
303.866.3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us

“The History of the Owl Club of Denver is a uniquely American story and deserves to be recognized as part of the national historic record,“ said Dawn DiPrince, president/CEO of History Colorado and state historic preservation officer. “For more than seven decades, this social organization has empowered the Black community of Denver, including providing support in the face of racist and segregationist policies and practices in the not-so-distant past. This building rightfully deserves its spot on the National Register, and is a gleaming example of the important histories that Colorado Heritage for All is meant to preserve.”

Located at 2815 Madison Street in Denver, the Owl Club Building is a single-story rectangular structure of modernist design that was constructed in 1951 and purchased by the Owl Club in 1960, after more than a decade of fundraising. While the building underwent significant alterations in 1968, it still sports its original red Roman brick façade and has been diligently maintained by the Owl Club – who use it as their headquarters and clubhouse to this day – to preserve its historical integrity. 

The integrity of the building is also reflected in the surrounding block, which still predominantly comprises houses that reflect construction methods of the 1950s-60s. 

As a tangible cornerstone of Denver’s Black community, the Owl Club Building continues to preserve an important part of the Mile High City’s history by centering the story of one of the city’s few African American fraternal and social organizations in the middle 20th century. Dedicated to Black excellence, the Owl Club uplifted its community even before the nationally recognized Civil Rights movements of the 1960s and 70s, and played an important role in the lives of a number of prominent Denverites.

In recent years History Colorado has worked closely with the Owl Club to preserve their history and raise awareness of their storied membership.

“The Owl Club of Denver’s journey with History Colorado since August of 2022 has been nothing short of incredible,” said Ronald Washington, Financial Secretary & Historian of the Owl Club. “Our legacy has been enhanced through the digital capture of 73 years of our Debutante program, the exposure of our organization’s history by the outstanding ‘Legacies of Excellence’ exhibit currently on display, and our successful campaign to become listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places. We are profoundly grateful for the opportunities History Colorado has afforded us.”

Among the list of important Owls, as the club members are known, and Owlettes (the wives of Owl Club members) are:

• Rachel B. Noel, who was the first African American woman elected to public office in Colorado when she joined the Denver Public Schools Board in 1965
• Omar D. Blair, a Tuskegee Airman during World War II and the first Black president of the Denver Public Schools Board
• Elvin R. Caldwell, a local politician and the first African American elected to a seat on a city council west of the Mississippi River
• Judge James C. Flanigan, who broke down barriers by becoming both the first African American Deputy District Attorney and the first Black Municipal Court Judge in Denver, as well as the first person of Color elected as a District Court Judge
• Dr. Bernard Gipson, the first Black board certified surgeon in Colorado, as well as the first African American admitted to the Colorado Medical Society

While founded in 1941, the Owl Club's popularity in the community rose significantly in 1951 with the establishment of its debutante cotillion presentations. Inspired by the debutante culture of Europe – which is focused on debuting young women who are eligible for marriage – the Owl Club’s debutante cotillion presentations focus on celebrating the academic achievements and standing of exceptional young African American women in Denver. 

Due to its focus on honoring the academic success and community contributions of young women, the Owl Club’s debutante presentations became a space to defy stereotypes placed on Black people and their culture. Many Owl Club honorees have gone on to be leaders in their chosen fields:

• Condoleezza Rice, the first female African American U.S. Secretary of State and first woman to serve as the National Security Advisor
• Allegra “Happy” Haynes, former executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation and the first African American woman to serve on Denver’s City Council
• The highly decorated Cleo Parker Robinson, founder of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble
• Dr. Charleszine “Terry” Nelson, the first African American supervisor at Denver Public Library and retired Senior Special Collections and Community Resource Manager of the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library
• Former Denver City Council President Elbra M. Wedgeworth, who was the first African American woman to serve as the president/chair of a host committee when Denver hosted the 2008 Democratic convention

The Owl Club continues to be an important pillar of Denver’s community and recently held its 73rd Debutante Ball. Its members and debutantes continue to break new ground and manifest Black excellence, including current Owl Club member Penfield Tate III, who became the first Person of Color to serve as the chair of History Colorado’s Board of Directors, when he was appointed by Governor Jared Polis in 2023.

The rich history and traditions of the Owl Club of Denver are currently being highlighted in History Colorado’s Owl Club of Denver: Legacies of Excellence exhibition at the History Colorado Center, which will be on display until May 10, 2025. The History Colorado Center is located at 1200 N Broadway and is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission for kids 18 and under is free every day.

About Colorado Heritage for All
Colorado Heritage for All is an intentional effort by History Colorado to address the lack of representation of all Colorado's diverse communities in the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Colorado Heritage for All supports nominations and the listing of 150 currently unrecognized historic resources that tell the stories of marginalized communities by the end of 2026.

As part of Colorado Heritage for All, History Colorado is seeking community suggestions for properties that are vital to understanding the history of the Centennial State. Coloradans are encouraged to submit suggestions for sites that should be added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places through this online submission form or by contacting the State Historic Preservation Office via Email at hc_oahp@state.co.us. 

About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 145-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado. 

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado