Black American West Museum & Heritage Center

Lonely Planet review

For something different, the excellent Black American West Museum & Heritage Center chronicles the explorations of African Americans in the West during the 1800s. You'll be introduced to many intriguing characters - from African American cowboys to rodeo riders. The museum offers a glimpse at often overlooked contributions of African Americans during this era.

'We tell it like it was' is the motto of the Black American Western Museum & Heritage Center. Although a few notable African-American pioneers arrived at the onset of Colorado's mining boom in the early 1860s, it was after the Civil War that most professional and working-class black people made their mark in the state. Black cowboys were particularly influential, making up almost a third of the Western range workers, but the museum also showcases the contributions of black soldiers, miners, lawyers and politicians. Dedicated to correcting versions of history, the museum is housed in what was the home of Dr Justina Ford, Denver's first black physician, who practiced in the state for half a century.