Martin Luther King Jr Celebration Recap

For decades, Colorado State University (CSU), in collaboration with many local community partners, has honored Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with an annual march and celebration. This year, the theme was “Justice Everywhere,” with the programming centered around acts of service. Hundreds of people from around the state gathered in the Lory Student Center. They participated in breakout groups that included artwork activism, writing letters to local leaders, a clothing drive for the homeward alliance, and space for reflection, education, and fellowship. While this event was held at CSU, it was led by students from ‘Black Definition’ (student organization on campus), students from the Black Student Union within the Poudre School District, the City of Fort Collins, BIPOC Alliance, Larimer County Commission, and the CSU Slice (Student Leadership Involvement Community Engagement) department. The success of this event comes from the enthusiasm and collaboration of community partners, volunteers, students, and citizens of the city. 

While Martin Luther King Jr. created monumental change for our nation and around the world, there were people such as Clara Brown, Justine Ford, Zipporah Hcammond, Mattie Lyle, John Mosley, and many more who had the same resiliency and impact on Colorado’s progress and success. Here is a short list of their significance in local history.

Known as the “Angel of the Rockies,” Brown was the first known Black Coloradoan settler, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and abolitionist. She helped formerly enslaved people become settled during Colorado’s Gold Rush between 1858 and 1861. With the money she made in her successful laundry business, she invested in nearby communities and even started a Sunday school in her home. At the end of the Civil War, she paid the way for 16 or more relatives who were former slaves to move to Colorado. Other notable actions include:

• Clara Brown was voted into the Society of Colorado Pioneers for her role in Colorado’s early history. Brown was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 2022.
• She invested her earnings in mine claims and land; within several years she had accumulated $10,000 in savings and reportedly owned 16 lots in Denver, 7 houses in Central City, and property and mines in Boulder, Georgetown, and Idaho Springs. 
• Brown also went to Kansas in 1879 to help former slaves “build a community and farm the land.”

“…church services at her house and helped those in need any way she could, including newly settled Euro-Americans and Native Americans…Called “Aunt Clara,” her home was “a hospital, a home, a general refuge for those who were sick or in poverty.”(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Brown)

Justine Ford was the first licensed African American female doctor in Denver and practiced gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics from her home for half a century. Since African Americans were barred at the time from working in hospitals or joining the Colorado Medical Association, Ford set up a private practice in her home in Five Points, where she specialized in gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics. Today, that same home in Denver is now ‘The Black American West Museum and Heritage Center,’ which honors Black women and men who helped develop and settle the American West, including black cowboys and entrepreneurs.

“Ford practiced medicine from her home for 50 years, serving a diverse clientele that included “poor whites, African-Americans, and non-English speaking immigrants who were turned away from hospitals…Her patients often exchanged goods and services for consultations, rather than paying in cash.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justina_Ford)

Zipporah Parks Hammond was the first Black person to graduate from a nursing program in Colorado. Hammond joined the Cadet Nurse Corp in 1943, where she was the only Black nurse out of 1,600 people. 

“After one year, she was recruited by Dr. John Chenault to be the Chief Surgical Nurse at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama as part of the Infantile Polio Paralysis Unit of the Andrew Memorial Hospital. In this role, she cared for young Black patients with polio who could not receive treatment at other hospitals because of their skin color, and she established medical-treatment protocols for the disease.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zipporah_Parks_Hammond)

Outside of her medical career, she was very involved in the community by volunteering at the Denver Public Library, preserving history, and donating to several charities such as the Denver Rescue Mission and Alzheimer’s research.

An early resident of Fort Collins, at 36 years old, Mattie Lyle, her daughter, and a friend went to the State Theatre in 1939 to enjoy the film. The owner, Elise Synder, denied them full access. Lyle sued Synder for discrimination in Larimer County, won with a unanimous vote, and was awarded damages. By 1945, the case was the first and only discrimination suit in Fort Collins history.  

Their family home is 312 North Meldrum Street, which at the time was the center of the Black neighborhood and community in Fort Collins. Her family moved to Seattle during World War II, but the home and history remain. When the city of Fort Collins was pursuing this story, there were questions and fascinations about Mattie Lyle. “What motivated this person in 1939, when there were rampant instances of discrimination around the community — the ‘white trade only’ signs were up in businesses all over Old Town — what made her in that moment decide she was going to fight back?” Bzdek said. “I was so curious about it…”The things that Mattie did and some of the other family members in their history did — they didn’t go out of their way, they weren’t looking to be famous and they weren’t looking to make big splashes,” David surmised. “They were just fighting to have a good life.” (https://www.coloradoan.com/story/life/2021/02/11/black-history-inside-lives-fort-collins-early-black-residents/4435622001/)

 “…I think it is a good investment for the city of Fort Collins to pay attention to not just Black history but the history of marginalized people and not necessarily old history some of it may be current. The value is not just “feel good”, it’s the emotions, the sounds, and where are things in relation to each other. Not just looking at a map but walking from one place to another and seeing where your ancestors walked and played.” (http://database.history.fcgov.com/digital/collection/ph/id/52878/)

Support Black-Owned Businesses Today

• Raska: www.raskasauce.com
• June Poppies: http://junepoppies.com/
• Mr. Lees Barber Shop: https://mrleesbarbershop.weebly.com/
• Marias Braiding:https://www.mariasbraiding.com/
• Malama Massage and Body Work: https://malamamandb.com/
• Robert Ingram Attonery at Law: http://ing-law.com
• Deborah Archer, MD FAAP Archer Pediatrics & Medical Consulting, LLC 

For more, click here: https://baacc.colostate.edu/resources/noco-black-owned-businesses-services/ 

Get involved with the next community event: Sign-ups for the 4th annual Juneteenth are up now. Sign up here: https://www.focojuneteenth.com/

Conclusion

In summary, Black history in Colorado is rich with resilience, innovation, and community-building efforts that have shaped the state’s progress and success. From pioneers like Clara Brown and Justine Ford to modern-day leaders and activists, the contributions of Black Coloradans have been foundational in creating a more just and inclusive society. The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is just one of many community initiatives that remind us that the fight for justice is ongoing. As we reflect on these historical achievements, it’s essential to support and uplift Black voices and businesses today, ensuring that their contributions continue to be recognized and celebrated for generations to come.