Heritage Colorado

Abstract Originally from Ohio Arie Taylor moved to Colorado in 1958. Taylor reflects on her time in the Air Force and encountering segregation and discrimination. The first Black woman legislator in Colorado, Taylor discusses her reasons for getting involved in politics, particularly her experiences as a Black woman and her encounters with racism. Discusses racial tensions in Denver in July of 1968, which resulted in protests and community clashes with police and Arie Taylor's arrest. Taylor reflects...

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Cedric "Rick" Page, professor of geography and urban studies at the University of Colorado, reflects on his research on the development of Dearfield, Colorado. Dearfield is considered a "Black town" because of the migration of African Americans out of the south and into the West. Page discusses the history of black communities settling Colorado and their efforts to establish towns and agricultural communities in the early 1900s.

Abstract Booker, Burns, and Sato ? all from well-known families who helped settle Mesa ? participate in a panel interview to talk about Mesa in the early 1900's. They each tell how their families came to Mesa and what they did for a living, including farming and cooking at a downtown armory. They discuss everyday life ? doing laundry by hand, swimming in the canals for recreation, and keeping cool without air-conditioning. Booker talks about being part of the first African-American family to live in...

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Johnson details her education in Texas and tells of her move to Mesa, Arizona, to teach public school. She discusses the history of the Mesa school system during segregation and after. She describes when the schools were integrated and what it was like being the first African American teacher at the Irving School. Johnson also gives some history of the Washington area and talks about race relations in Mesa.

Abstract Booker, born in Naco, Arizona, talks about her family's history and her experiences as an African American woman in early Mesa. Her great-grand parents were slaves, and her grandfather and father were Buffalo Soldiers in the army. Her mother did laundry for a living, including for the O.S. Stapley family. She describes early downtown Mesa and mentions some businesses such as Everybody's Drugstore, the post office, J.C. Penney's, the hospital, and some churches. Booker discusses race...

Abstract Freeman tells the story of her families move to Arizona in 1927 in a covered wagon. She talks about her father's experience as a school bus driver driving relatively long distances to pick up kids for school and mentions the homes where her family lived. She recalls that her family had one of the first phones in Mesa and that many people stopped in to borrow it. Freeman describes downtown Mesa and mentions several business including Molly's, J.C. Penney's, Woolworth's, and Everybody's...

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Sam Menin, Denver defense attorney, describes attending Westminster Law School (which would later merge the University of Denver College of Law) at night while working during the day. Menin reflects on his career and discusses why he often represented homeless, poor, or oppressed clients. Discusses the impact of the KKK, segregation, and race relations.