Stories for Black History Month 2026

Explore resources to learn about Black heritage and history in Colorado and the United States.

Long before Colorado became a state in 1876, Black pioneers were settling the state and shaping its history. From formerly enslaved trailblazers like Barney Ford, Clara Brown, and Julia Greeley to activists like E.C. Regnier and Roger Ewalt, who promoted equitable use of the outdoors for the Black community, Black history is Colorado (and American) history.

Explore Black history in a variety of ways this month (and year-round) with resources from the library. These resources promote critical thinking about who has shaped the narrative of Black history in Colorado, the historical progress fought for by the Black community in the face of discrimination, and the contemporary Black experience in the United States.

Visit Historical Sights

Learn more about the Black experience in the Centennial State with a visit to the Black American West and Heritage Center (BAWHC) in Denver for free with the Library’s Curiosity Pass.

BAWHC’s mission is to promote an understanding of the role that African Americans played in the settlement and growth of the western United States through its collections, programs, and exhibits. It was founded by Paul Wilbur Stewart, a barber who was determined to celebrate and include the legacy of Black cowboys in Colorado history. These lived experiences were left out of the history of the West. Steward spent much of his life traveling to public schools across Denver, sharing the stories of Black cowboys.

Visit Historical Sights

Learn more about the Black experience in the Centennial State with a free visit to the Black American West and Heritage Center (BAWHC) in Denver with the Library’s Curiosity Pass.

Today, the museum is located in the former house of Dr. Justina Ford (1871 – 1952), the first Black woman physician in Colorado. Dr. Ford delivered over 7,000 babies in the Denver area and served any patient regardless of their race, language, gender, or ability to pay. Many of her patients were turned away from Denver hospitals.

Those who could not afford to pay her money would instead pay her in goods and services. Justina was also denied hospital privileges for most of her career, making house calls to sick patients across the city. It wasn’t until 1950 that Justina was allowed into the Colorado and American Medical Associations at which time, she was still the only Black woman who was a physician in Denver.

History seekers can also learn more about Black history with the City of Fort Collins Historical Preservation service. Download a Black History Walking Tour Guide (PDF) for background on important local sites, including the home of Charles Birdwhistle and his family, the Opera Galleria (the site of a legal battle led by early Fort Collins civil rights pioneer, Mattie Lyle), and a variety of important milestones in Black history on Colorado State University’s campus. The site also offers the opportunity to learn more about the specific challenges African Americans in Northern Colorado faced.

Events for Black History Month

History Comes Alive

Drop by Harmony Library on Friday, February 6 from 6:30 – 7:30 PM to enjoy Black History Live hosted by Colorado Humanities. This annual program honors the struggles, triumphs, and contributions of unsung heroes and visionaries who have shaped the intricate tapestry of Black heritage. This year’s statewide tour will feature the living-history portrayals of Mary Fields by nationally acclaimed scholar/actor Becky Stone.

Mary Fields, “Stagecoach Mary,” was the first African American woman to be a star route carrier for the U.S. mail service. As a settler on the frontier, she lends a firsthand account of African Americans who lived in the Wild West. Her story brings in the history of Black settlers, Black cowboys, Black entrepreneurs, and more.

Stone’s monologue will be followed by 20 minutes of Q&A, first in character and then out of character. Register in advance to reserve your spot.

BYO Book Club & Campus Events

Readers looking to join a library book club can also enjoy February’s BYOBook Club on Thursday, February 19 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM at Prost Brewing. Instead of a required book, you can choose any book that falls into our monthly theme; February’s meeting celebrates Black History Month with the theme Black Authors. Register in advance to reserve your spot.

The Black and African American Heritage Center (BAAHC) on Colorado State University’s campus will also host a variety of events for Black History Month 2026. The BAAHC chose the theme, Woven Roots: 100 Years of Commemoration, Lifetimes of the African Diaspora. This theme “acknowledges the centennial of formal Black history commemorations while affirming that the lives, knowledges, and cultures of the African Diaspora stretch far beyond 100 years and far beyond the borders of the United States.”

Explore Colorado Black History

Learn more about Black and African American individuals who were pivotal in Colorado’s history with our past profiles of trailblazers like Obrey Wendall “Winks” Hamlet founder of Winks Panorama Lodge in Lincoln Hills, Denver mayor Wellington Webb, suffragette Elizabeth Piper Ensley, activist Rachel B. Noel, entrepreneur and jazz-lover Fannie Mae Duncan, and many others.

Reading Recommendations

Explore reading recommendations in person at any of our library locations or place a hold on a choice listed below. Looking for more extensive reading lists? Visit the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for more reading recommendations. Looking for television and film recommendations? Explore a specially curated list of entertainment for Black history month on Kanopy.