Years before the Homestead Act of 1862 brought a wave of new settlers to the West, James Beckwourth, an African American explorer, trapper and Crow chief, began his own journey through Colorado. Eventually co-founding the city of Pueblo, Beckwourth played an integral role in Western exploration and is one of the many celebrated African Americans who have helped shape the history of Colorado. By 1859, the Colorado Gold Rush was at its peak and legendary figures including “Aunt” Clara Brown, the first African American woman to arrive in Colorado during the Gold Rush, found personal success and fortune in the West. Later, after President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act in May of 1862, a new generation of African Americans sought fresh opportunities in Colorado. Working as farmers, mountain men, guides, cowboys, businessmen, doctors and entrepreneurs, this new generation settled across the state forming communities and businesses. By 1890, more than 6,000 African Americans were living in Colorado where communities would continue to grow well into the next century. Today, a self-guided walking tour through the Five Points neighborhood in Denver tells the story of the vibrant African American community and Clara Brown has been memorialized with a stained glass window at the Colorado State Capitol and with an operetta at the Central City Opera House.
