Barney Ford Day Kicks Off Black History Month In Colorado
By L.A. Sklba
DENVER (CBS4)- Gov. Jared Polis declared the first day of Black History Month, Feb. 1, 2022, Barney Ford Day. Barney Ford, a Black leader in Colorado, is remembered for his remarkable life and the impact he had in state business and politics.
Ford was born on Jan. 22, 1822 into slavery. He taught himself to read and write, and he escaped slavery when he was 26, leaving a note for his enslaver saying, "If I can do better by myself than I can with you, I feel that I am at liberty to do so; for this is common to all free men."
He escaped to Chicago through the Underground Railroad.
Decades later, Ford made his way to Colorado, initially arriving in Breckenridge in 1860. But at the time, Colorado did not allow Black men to own homesteads or mining claims, and law enforcement forced him out.
But Ford was not deterred. He headed to Denver, where he was one of the first 50 African Americans to arrive in the city. The Barney L. Ford Building located at 1541 Black Street marks one of his earliest business successes. The original building was destroyed in a fire, but he did rebuild it. Ford also founded the Inter-Ocean Hotel, formerly located at the corner of 16th and Blake streets in downtown. In Breckenridge, he was able to open Ford's Chop House.
Beyond his business ventures, Ford was politically active in Colorado. He was the first African American to be nominated to the Territorial Legislature. He also played a significant role in lobbying for universal suffrage in Colorado's Constitution when it was joining the Union.
Barney was ultimately able to build a home in Breckenridge, which is still standing and operating as the Barney Ford Museum. He died in 1902 and is buried in Denver's Riverside Cemetery.
Members of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado introduced the resolution on the House Floor to start Black History Month. The governor signed the proclamation, making Feb. 1, 2022 a day to honor Barney's legacy in our state and country the United States.
A stained-glass portrait of Ford now hangs in the Colorado House of Representatives chambers. He's also been inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame and Colorado Black Hall of Fame.