PRESS CONTACT
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
303-866-3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us

Black History Events in February:
From Cameroon to Colorado: Chocolate Tasting and Talk | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | February 6, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Local artisan chocolate makers and husband/wife owners of Bibamba Artisan Chocolate, Patrick and Mara Tchenuou, will share a story of Cameroon, love, cultural heritage, and – of course – chocolate. Patrick and Mara will guide us on a five-piece tasting of their Cameroonian-sourced chocolate and talk about the mission of their business, their history in Colorado and how it melds together in a rich, chocolatey bite as you sip their specially crafted hot chocolate. Following this decadent tasting, a special Q&A will be moderated by Rachel Waugh from the Museum of Food and Culture and each ticket holder will be sent home with a gift bag from Bibamba Artisan Chocolate, just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Rosenberry Lecture: Hattie McDaniel: A Reflective Life | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | February 19, 1 & 7 p.m.
Did you know actress, singer-songwriter, and Colorado Women's Hall of Famer Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Oscar for her role in 1939’s “Gone with the Wind”? A trailblazer in every sense of the word, McDaniel left an undeniable legacy through her work, including receiving two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and being credited as the first Black artist to sing on radio. Join McDaniel’s great-grandnephew, filmmaker Kevin John Goff, as he discusses new scholarship and personal family stories that shed light on her historic Oscar win and bring a fresh perspective to a history many know, but not many know well. 

Tickets ($5-15) are available for both the 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. talks. 

Fighting on Two Fronts Screening and Discussion | Multiple locations
Multiple museums | February 21 - 23
In February, several of History Colorado’s community museums will be hosting screenings of “Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts” – a documentary that tells the powerful story of the African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army during the late 19th and early 20th centuries – and a discussion with award-winning filmmaker Dru Holley. 

Often overlooked in history, the Buffalo Soldiers fought not only on the frontlines of battle but also against racial injustice within the military and society. This documentary sheds light on the courage and resilience of these brave soldiers as they navigated the complex challenges of racism, war, and their contributions to the American frontier. 

This free event will be held at the following sites:

• El Pueblo History Museum on February 21 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
• Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center, which once housed Buffalo Soldiers serving in the Ninth Calvary, on February 22  from 12 – 2 p.m.
•  Trinidad History Museum on February 23 from 3 – 5 p.m.

Ongoing Black History Offerings
In addition to its February programming, History Colorado has a number of ongoing projects, programs, and exhibitions that elevate Black voices year-round. 

Blaxplanation Event Series
History Colorado’s Blaxplanation is a year-round series that tells “Black History, From the Black Perspective, Beyond Slavery” through events designed to celebrate and expand our understanding of the Black experience in Colorado and explore stories of the Black diaspora. Reclaiming its name from the Blaxploitation genre of the 70s, this program addresses racist and discriminatory understandings of Black life while focusing on the contributions and achievements of the Black community with local, national, and international impacts. 

Blaxplanation events are generally free and open to the public and feature an array of opportunities — from film screenings to recreational activities — that center community conversations about the accomplishments of the Black community past, present, and future.

Black History Exhibitions:

• Mountain Haven: Lincoln Hills, 1925–1965 exhibition in Colorado Stories at the History Colorado Center explores a Rocky Mountain haven where African Americans could hike, fish, and camp—and leave discrimination behind.
• Owl Club of Denver: Legacies of Excellence, at the History Colorado Center through May 2, 2025, explores the rich traditions of a prominent all-Black debutante cotillion club in the Mile High City.
• Viva La Causa! Long Live the Cause!: The Art of Change at the History Colorado Center through October 5, 2025, uses artwork created at the peak of two social justice movements — the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and ʼ70s and the Black Lives Matter movement in the early 2020s — to explore themes of identity, equality, and courage in the face of injustices.
• Special Deliveries at the History Colorado Center through August 2, 2025, explores the story of three Colorado health professionals who cared for mothers and babies before, during, and after pregnancies, including the story of Dr. Justina Ford, who was the first Black woman to be a licensed physician in Colorado.
• The Dry: Black Women’s Legacy in a Farming Community exhibition at the El Pueblo History Museum through March 28, 2025, looks at the little known history of The Dry, a predominantly Black farming community in southeast Colorado, and the legacy of the powerful women who built and sustained this close-knit community.
• The buffalo soldiers: reVision exhibition at the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center presents a visual interpretation of the history, impact, and complicated legacy of the all-Black Army regiments that were established in 1866 following the Civil War.
  • History Colorado has also produced a behind the scenes documentary of the exhibition creation process for buffalo soldiers: reVision entitled "The Making of buffalo soldiers: reVision" 

Additional Online Resources
Beyond its exhibitions, History Colorado has a number of online resources, publications, and podcast episodes that explore the Black experience in the Centennial State. Here’s an overview of some of those materials:

• The Black History and Heritage Webpage is dedicated to highlighting the contributions made by people who identify as Black, African-American, or generally part of the African diaspora, as it relates to the history of the West
• The Klu Klux Klan Ledgers webpage includes the complete digitized copies of two KKK membership books, as well as a number of online articles covering aspects of Black Coloradans’ historical and ongoing struggle for equality
• The Lincoln Hills: Escape from Racism online exhibition explores Black history in Colorado from before the Civil War through the Civil Rights Movement
• History Colorado has worked with the Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection to help digitize The Colorado Statesman and The Statesman (later called The Denver Star), which were historically Black-owned publications
• The Colorado Magazine has published a number of articles on topics related to Black History Month over its more than 100 years of operations, including:
  • “Ada Belle Evans,” and “Black Cowboys Unveiled,” by Acoma Gaither
  • “Habari Gani? (Or, What’s the News?),” and “A Rocky Mountain Dream,” by Dexter Nelson II
  • “Health, Recreation, Education, and Uplift: Lincoln Hills and Black Recreation in the Colorado Mountains,” by Ariel Schnee
  • And “Don’t Leave Home Without Your Green Book,” by Cindy Nasky
• History Colorado’s critically acclaimed podcast, Lost Highways: Dispatches from the Shadows of the Rocky Mountains expands the history of the American West by exploring how overlooked stories from the past have shaped current world events and and includes a number of episodes focused on important Black history
  • “The Dearest Field,” which tells the story of a predominately Black homesteading community that sprung up on Colorado’s Eastern Plains in the aftermath of the Civil War
  • “Game Changers” is a special episode of ​Lost Highways​​ celebrating the 100th anniversary of Negro League Baseball and the little-known role Colorado played in integrating our national pastime
  • “A Lynching in Limon” chronicles one of the most horrifying racial terror lynchings in U.S. history that took place in the small town of Limon on the Eastern Plains
  • “The Original BlacKkKlansman” explores the story of Dr. Joseph Westbrook, who infiltrated the KKK in the 1920s in an effort to protect the thriving Five Points community in Denver
  • “Busted: The Case of the Denver Police Department” looks back at the origins of policing in America through the lens of the Denver Police Department, how their role in communities has transitioned over time, what happens when they abuse their power, and the long struggle for change
  • “Cathay Williams/William Cathay: Buffalo Soldier” dives into the story of Cathay Williams, the Black woman who chopped off her hair, put on men’s clothes, and enlisted as a Buffalo Soldier under the name William Cathay
  • “You Don't Know Barney Ford” discusses the resiliency of Barney Ford, who came West in search of gold, owned and operated hotels and restaurants, lost them in fires, rebuilt them, and enjoyed a reputation as a king of hospitality in early Denver, Breckenridge, and Cheyenne, Wyoming

Research Initiatives and Preservation Efforts
History Colorado currently has a number of different research initiatives and preservation projects which highlight and help preserve Black history. These efforts include:

• The Colorado Black Equity Study, which is an effort to conduct evidence-based historical research of practices, systems, and policies of the State of Colorado that have harmfully impacted Black Coloradans, as required by Senate Bill 24-053 (SB24-053). A community-envisioned legislative measure, SB24-053 was carried out and advocated for by the Black Caucus at the Colorado State legislature and is funded entirely by grants, gifts, and donations
• The Museum of Memory Initiative is History Colorado’s public history initiative that works together with Colorado residents to co-author a shared history. Members of several Black Communities have told their histories through the Museum of Memory projects,  including the Five Points Plus Neighborhood and the ongoing projects on the Whittier Neighborhood and the Museum of Memory - Lincoln Hills Project 
• Ongoing research into African American Travel sites in the Centennial State thanks to an Underrepresented Community Grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service
• The State Historical Fund regularly funds projects designed to support BIPOC communities. Examples of projects funded in 2024 include:
  • St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church, a historically Black church in Pueblo, was awarded $228,850 to fund roof and chimney rehabilitation to protect the integrity of the historic church and create comprehensive construction documents that will guide additional phases of restoration for the building's defining features
  • Manzanola United Methodist Church – which was an essential center of community for The Dry, a predominately Black homesteading community in Otero County – received a pair of grants totalling $500,000 total for construction documents, roof rehabilitation and phase two of their window rehabilitation 
  • Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, which was founded in 1970 to promote racial inclusivity and celebration of diversity within the arts, received $250,000 to support fire safety improvements to the 98-year-old Shorter AME Church 
• Colorado Heritage for All Initiative, which aims to add historic designations to 150 currently unrecognized historic resources that tell the stories of marginalized communities by the end of 2026. Recent additions to the State and/or National Register of Historic Places as a result of Colorado Heritage for All include:
  • Denver Fire Station No. 3, which was recognized due to the valor and dedication of the all-Black fire crews who served the multicultural Five Points Neighborhood faithfully in the face of segregationist policies from 1931 - 1957
  • The Owl Club Building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places due to its important connection to Black heritage and the social history of the Mile High City and beyond
  • Manzanola United Methodist Church – which was an essential center of community for The Dry, a predominately Black homesteading community in Otero County – was added to the National Register of Historic Places in fall of 2024

Additional information about History Colorado’s resources related to Black History can be found here.

New Attractions:
New Exhibition - Horizon: On the Plains with John Fielder | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | Now on Display!
The John Fielder Mezzanine Gallery has been updated to highlight a different part of the breathtaking collection donated by Colorado’s most celebrated nature photographer. Entitled Horizon: On the Plains with John Fielder, this new exhibition features a selection of iconic large-format Fielder prints that evoke the photographer's emotional connection to these sublime and diverse landscapes of Colorado, and invites viewers to lose themselves in the expanse of the Great Plains.

February Events at History Colorado Sites Around the State:
Paint Night @ the Museum | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | February 7, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Tickets ($30) and additional information available here.
Join the Trinidad History Museum for a guided paint class, taught by local artist Risa Phelps. February's painting will be a nod to Valentine's Day! While tickets are $30/person you can make this month's class a date night and use promo code DUO50 at checkout to receive two tickets for a total of $50.

Class is held in the museum's classroom space at 312 E. Main St. Light refreshments will be provided, but outside beverages and food are also welcome. Reservations are required. To reserve your space, purchase a ticket online or contact Millie at emily.duren@state.co.us. 

Paint Date at Fort Garland | Fort Garland, CO
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center | February 8, 1 - 4 p.m.
Tickets ($25) and additional information available here.
Create some colorful memories at our next community guided painting event. Whether you bring your significant other, your best friend, or your kiddo, it’s sure to be a fun experience. This workshop will be led by local artist and educator Taylor Hubbard and all materials and supplies are included with ticket purchase! 

For the Love of Love Tea and Valentine’s Collaging | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | February 14,  10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
Tickets ($35-40) and additional information available here.
Celebrate love with a partner, friend, family member, or any loved one at the Center for Colorado Women’s History’s For the Love of Love Tea and Valentine’s Collaging event! This tea event includes an hour-long tea seating followed by an hour to craft and collage valentines. Refreshments served include light savory and sweet fare from local and woman-led business Miss Peabody’s Southern Tea Cakes alongside our museum’s signature Lady Lavender Black Tea with citrus, vanilla, and bergamot. All crafting materials as well as general admission to the museum are included with ticket price! 

Meet the Collection: The Technology of the 10th Mountain Division | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | February 18, 2 - 3 p.m.
Join author Dr. Lance R. Blyth in the Stephen H. Hart Research Center at the History Colorado Center to discuss his new book, Ski, Climb, Fight: The 10th Mountain Division and the Rise of Mountain Warfare. Blyth is the command historian of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Northern Command and adjunct professor of History at the United States Air Force Academy.  By highlighting artifacts from the 10th Mountain Division collection, Blyth will explore how the military adapted civilian gear and skills for surviving and moving in mountainous terrain to effectively conduct operations and become the U.S. Army’s first mountain warfare division. 

Book Club | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | February 22, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Trinidad History Museum’s February Book Club pick is Sabrina and Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine. This collection of short stories explores the lives of several women navigating their ancestry, the land, and their lives in Colorado. Pick up your copy of the book at the Trinidad History Museum gift store located in the Santa Fe Trail building right off of Chestnut Street. For more information, contact Millie Duren at emily.duren@state.co.us.

Art Journal Workshop | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | February 22, 12 – 2 p.m.
Tickets ($10) and additional information available here.
Join the Trinidad History Museum for a Saturday afternoon of art journaling! Local artist Lori Holdread will be teaching journaling techniques and tricks. This workshop is $10/person, with all materials provided. For more information or to sign up, contact Millie Duren at emily.duren@state.co.us. 

Traditional Crochet Granny Squares Workshop | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | February 23, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Tickets ($15-20) and additional information available here.
Dive into the world of crochet with the beloved and versatile granny square! With guided, hands-on instruction this workshop is your gateway to the endless possibilities of crochet, where you'll learn how to create the iconic granny square — a foundation for cozy blankets, stylish sweaters, chic bags, and so much more. In addition to a completed granny square, participants will take home extra yarn, a crochet hook, a tapestry needle, and a set of written instructions to continue their crochet journey!

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