Colorful Coloradans Biographies

Biographies of important Coloradans featuring digitized sources from the Western History collection to provide young researchers with high quality, primary source material for their history projects. Ideal for 4th grade and up.

Studio portrait of Eugene Field in San Francisco, California. He holds a cane and wears an overcoat and bowler hat.

Eugene Field (1850 - 1895)

Poet, newspaper writer, and humorist whose poetry for and about children is still widely read today. 

Gladys Caldwell Fisher (1907-1952)

Artist, particularly known for her sculptures of animals.

Tim Flores

Tim Flores (1919 - 1988)

Influential labor leader, lobbyist and activist who fought for the rights of workers throughout Colorado. 

Mary Antoinette Perry-Frueauff (1888-1946)

Mary Antoinette was an actress, director, producer, humanitarian, and an activist, whose work on Broadway inspired the creation of the Tony Awards.

 

Portrait of Magdalena Gallegos as a young woman, the local historian and author poses with her hands on her hips in the Auraria neighborhood, Denver, Colorado.

Magdalena Gallegos (1935 - 2021)

Magdalena Gallegos grew up in the neighborhood of Auraria and worked throughout her life to preserve the history and stories from that community.

Gerald "Jerry" Gerash (1934 - )

Jerry Gerash fought for the rights of gay people at a time when the police and local governments were fighting against them.

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Lorraine Granado (1948 - 2019)

Lorraine Granado was a community organizer and activist who fought tirelessly to improve the lives of residents in Elyria-Swansea and Globeville. 

Portrait of Pam Grier

Pam Grier (1949 - )

Pam Grier overcame violence and racism to become an early African American action hero in films. 

Phot of Emily Griffith

Emily Griffith (1868 -1947)

Emily Griffith founded the Opportunity School in Denver, a unique school which offers job training and education "For All Those Who Wish To Learn". 

Florence in 1992

Florence Hernández-Ramos (1950 - )

Florence Hernández-Ramos grew up in the small town of Lamar, Colorado and went on to be the first Latina president and general manager of a Jazz public radio station in the country.