The broad brushstrokes of Denver’s history barely touch on the Black women who came to this once rough-and-tumble frontier town and made their own way. Discover where you can learn more about these women around town. JUSTINA FORD Dr. Justina Ford, is best known as Colorado’s first African-American female physician. She was born in Illinois […]
Denver is home to many colorful murals that celebrate Black lives. Here’s a guide for where to find many of them by two notable artists who made them. DETOUR The artist Detour, whose name is Thomas Evans, has his work splashed around the city in vibrant and full murals. Detour’s work can be found on […]
If Denver’s Black culture has a heart, it is beating loud and strong in Five Points. Located at the intersection of 26th Avenue, 27th Street, Washington Street and Welton Street — four roads that create five vertices — is what was once known as “the Harlem of the West” for hosting jazz greats such as […]
Originally published in Rolling Stone. Reprinted by permission of Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of The Temptations The Broadway musical is based on surviving member and founder Otis Williams’ 1988 memoir, The Temptations. Known for their many R&B love songs and pop crossover hits, like “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me,” “Just […]
In the Black community, religion and spirituality run deep in African traditions. The Black Church is a melting pot that enslaved people from different African communities created to combat a system designed to crush their spirit. Other Black American spiritual practices like Hoodoo, Yoruba, and Obeah spring from ancestral African roots as well. Belief in […]
Since 1976, every United States president has designated the month of February as Black History Month. This month is meant to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and to recognize their central role in U.S. history. In Denver, there are many local activities and programs to support Black History Month. Discover Black Artists Denver Botanic […]
Adapted from Inside Out | Lynde Rosario, Editor and Reginald Edmund, Contributing Writer Set in 1974, In the Upper Room tells the story of a multi-generational black family led by the family’s controlling and secretive matriarch, Rose Berry. But to understand the Berry family requires understanding the 1970s as well as the many pop culture […]
By: Leo Adam Biga Generations live strong in the memory and imagination of Omaha-based playwright Beaufield Berry. Her original family drama In the Upper Room, a 2019 Colorado New Play Summit selection, gets a world premiere production by the DCPA Theatre Company this winter. Set in 1974 Omaha, this Black American family drama draws closely […]