The Black American West Museum in and of itself, is not a single historical place, but a collection of artifacts, photographs and stories of Black Americans who helped settle the west. Most do not realize that 1/3rd of all the cowboys were Black. This museum is housed in the former home of Dr. Justina Ford, Colorado's first Black Woman doctor. (The house is not on its original location, but it is Dr. Ford's home.)
"Founded in 1971 by Paul W. Stewart, the Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving and disseminating the contributions of Blacks in the Old West. While famous for telling the story of Black cowboys, we are broader than this with interests in the stories of all those early Blacks who came west and performed as miners, soldiers, homesteaders, ranchers, blacksmiths, schoolteachers, lawmen, and every other profession needed to build up the West."
"Our Museum is broken into many diverse exhibits such as our homestead exhibit. This exhibit is primarily dedicated to the town of Dearfield, Colorado. Dearfield was a Black pioneer town founded by O.T. Jackson in 1910 just east of Greeley, Colorado. It was a bustling town of approximately 500 residents founded on the principles of Booker T. Washington. It was successful until the 1930s when depression, drought and dust storms forced most of the residents back to the cities. In the early 1940s, the town dwindled to about a dozen full time residents and finally ended shortly thereafter. The town is now a ghost town and the Museum owns approximately 23 of the city lots."
"In the military exhibits, you will see the story of the Buffalo Soldiers. These were the Black military units, both cavalry and infantry, and their stories which were very important to settling of West and beyond. Also, learn about the Tuskegee airmen and their heroics during World War II in their support of our winning war effort. In addition to many photographs and timelines, we have uniforms, saddles, weapons and additional tools of the soldier of the West."
The caretaker kindly allowed me to take a couple of photographs inside for this Waymark. Photos are not allowed inside, so you may describe something interesting your learned in lieu of a photograph. There is ample free parking on either 31st and California (3091 California St, 303-292-2566). The hours are Tues-Sat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.