The Black American West Museum and Heritage Center is dedicated to educating, promoting, and preserving the cultural role African Americans played in the Old West. Examine artifacts, listen to stories, and learn how African Americans lived, worked, and aided in the expansion of America’s western region.
History
African American cowboys were an integral part of America’s Old West. In 1971, Paul W. Steward took his passion for this cultural topic and founded the Black American West Museum. Through his collection of artifacts, stories, and photographs, these cowboys come to life.
The museum’s collections are housed in the former home of Dr. Justina L. Ford, Colorado’s first African American female physician. In addition to cowboys, the museum houses historical memorabilia pertaining to African American ranchers, schoolteachers, blacksmiths, and more.
Exhibits
Exhibits in the museum showcase the heroic African American men and women of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. View photographs, read stories, and get an up-close look at artifacts that chronicle the expansion of the American West. A film at the end of the tour details the African American role in settling Dearfield, Colorado, one of the first black settlements.
Each rom in the house is dedicated to a different part of African American western history: Buffalo soldiers, rodeo competitors, cowboys, settlers, ranchers, and more. Take a self-guided tour through each room and leave with a clearer understanding of the African American role in the Old West. Experienced docents are on hand to answer questions.
Admission and Hours
Discounted tickets are available for seniors, students 12+, and children 6-11. Children 5 and under are free. The museum is open Friday and Saturday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. It is closed the rest of the week.
Details
Address: 3091 California St, Denver, CO 80205
Phone: 720-242-7428
Season: Year round
Website: bawmhc.org
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