[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 28, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H456-H459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          COMMEMORATING AFRICAN AMERICAN PIONEERS IN COLORADO

  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 54) commemorating African American pioneers in 
Colorado.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H. Res. 54

       Whereas February is Black History Month, a month-long 
     celebration for Americans to reflect on both the history and 
     teachings of African Americans whose contributions are still 
     too little known;
       Whereas Black History Month was started in 1976 and 
     February was chosen because the birthdays of both Frederick 
     Douglass and Abraham Lincoln fall in that month;
       Whereas African Americans were an integral part of settling 
     the West, arriving in covered wagons, establishing self-
     sufficient settlements, and filling numerous jobs from barber 
     to teacher, doctor to State legislator;
       Whereas nearly one-third of the cowboys who helped build 
     the American West were of African American descent;
       Whereas one of the best examples of an African American 
     prairie settlement is Dearfield, Colorado, an African 
     American agriculture community;
       Whereas Oliver T. Jackson, an African American, inspired by 
     Booker T. Washington's book Up From Slavery that urged 
     African Americans to return to the land and earn their own 
     way with their own hands, took these ideas to heart and 
     established Dearfield, Colorado, in 1910;
       Whereas Oliver T. Jackson inspired 60 African American 
     settlers to join in his agriculture colony, live off the 
     land, and become self-sufficient;
       Whereas within 5 years, Dearfield, Colorado, had 44 wooden 
     cabins, over 600 farm acres, 2 churches, a school, a boarding 
     house, a blacksmith shop, a doctor's office, a cement 
     factory, and a filling station;
       Whereas Oliver T. Jackson and those at Dearfield, Colorado, 
     reached their goal of becoming a prosperous, self-sufficient 
     community, with a peak population of 700;

[[Page H457]]

       Whereas by the mid-1930's, plagued by drought and the Great 
     Depression, the community dwindled down to 12, including 
     Oliver T. Jackson and his wife; and
       Whereas Dearfield, Colorado, was subsequently abandoned and 
     is now in need of restoration in order to help fulfill the 
     goal of Black History Month and educate Americans about the 
     role of African Americans in the settling of the American 
     West: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) encourages all Americans to learn about the history of 
     African Americans whose contributions are still too little 
     known;
       (2) recognizes the role that African Americans, like those 
     at Dearfield, Colorado, greatly contributed to settling and 
     shaping the American West; and
       (3) supports the restoration of the site at Dearfield, 
     Colorado, in order to educate the American public about the 
     history and contributions of African Americans to the West 
     and the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer).
  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today draws a close to February, which is Black History 
Month. Officially implemented in 1976, this month-long celebration is a 
time for Americans to reflect on the historical contributions of 
African Americans and the teachings of African Americans whose 
contributions remain little-known. February was chosen as Black History 
Month because Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln have birthdays 
during this month.
  Mr. Speaker, in order to help fulfill the two important goals of 
Black History Month, it is appropriate to direct Congress and the 
attention of the American people to the history and contributions of 
African Americans in the West.
  In my district, Colorado, there was once a unique African American 
prairie settlement called Dearfield. It was located about 25 miles 
Southwest of Greeley, Colorado. Dearfield is one of the best examples 
of an African American agricultural colony in the Nation. Today, all 
that remains of Dearfield are a few old outbuildings, some old 
foundations, and a few fence rows.
  Not only is Dearfield a unique and fine example of an all African-
American settlement, but Dearfield blends insight into the history of 
African Americans. Following the Civil War, many African Americans from 
the South headed West to escape oppression and racism.
  These pioneering individuals held a wide variety of occupations. For 
example, many were trappers, miners, cattlemen, laborers, doctors, 
barbers, and even a State legislator named Joseph H. Stewart, who 
served in the Colorado House of Representatives around the turn of the 
century.
  There are many little-known facts about African Americans and their 
settlement of the West. Many of those facts are those of which 
Americans are still unaware. Nearly one-third, for example, of the 
cowboys who helped build the American West were of African American 
descent. African Americans were some of the West's earliest 
millionaires, owning much of the West's most valuable real estate, and 
many of its prominent businesses. In fact, one of the first gold 
discoveries in Idaho Springs, Colorado, was made by Henry Parker, an 
African American miner.
  African Americans were also military heroes in one of the greatest 
wars in the West, the taking of San Juan Hill with Teddy Roosevelt in 
the Spanish American War. In fact, the African-American 10th Cavalry 
was a major factor in that victory.
  By 1890, African Americans had a significant presence in the West. 
About 6,000 African Americans lived in Colorado, including 5,000 who 
owned property. Dearfield for many reasons was a shining example of 
African-American history and contributions to the American West.
  In 1910, African-American Oliver T. Jackson established Dearfield as 
an agricultural colony. He was inspired by Booker T. Washington's book, 
Up From Slavery, that urged African Americans to return to the land and 
earn their own way with their own hands.
  Joseph Westbrook was responsible for naming Dearfield. He said 
African Americans must hold it dear to them. It may be interesting to 
note that Westbrook, a physician, was a member of the Denver General 
Hospital for 17 years, and served with the Interracial Commission and 
the Denver Chamber of Commerce.
  Oliver T. Jackson convinced 60 African-American settlers to join him 
in Dearfield. Within 5 years, Dearfield was a prosperous, self-
sufficient community with a population of 700. Dearfield had 44 wooden 
cabins, over 600 farm acres, two churches, a school, a boarding house, 
a blacksmith shop, a doctor's office, a cement factory, and a filling 
station.
  The demise of Dearfield was much like many other pioneering 
communities on the high Plains. Dearfield was plagued by the drought 
and the Great Depression, and the population dwindled from 700 to just 
12. Oliver T. Jackson and his wife were among those remaining.
  Mr. Speaker, today Dearfield is a collection of ruins. Two 
organizations in Colorado, Colorado Preservation, Incorporated, and the 
Black American West Museum and Heritage Center, are working hard to 
restore the town in order to teach Americans the history and 
contributions of African Americans in the West.
  Dearfield accomplishes the goal of Black History Month in 3 ways.
  One, Dearfield helps educate Americans about the contributions of 
African Americans in settling the West.
  Two, Dearfield helps educate Americans about the unique African 
American agricultural establishment that thrived and is still 
influential today.
  Three, Dearfield helps educate Americans about African-Americans' 
lives and histories following the Civil War.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to favorably consider the resolution and 
adopt it today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I want to commend 
my colleagues, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) for his 
leadership in bringing it forward today. I am proud to join him, as 
always, as a cosponsor.
  People of African-American descent have been involved in the history 
of the West for centuries, at least since the time of Coronado. As the 
resolution before us notes, they were an integral part of the expansion 
into and settlement of Colorado and other western States by people from 
other parts of the United States.
  Notable among them were African Americans who served in the U.S. 
Army, often referred to as Buffalo Soldiers, especially by Native 
Americans, for whom the term was one of respect.
  In Colorado and elsewhere, African Americans were involved in 
ranching. By some estimates, fully one-third of the cowboys who have so 
greatly shaped our image of the West have been African Americans. In 
Colorado, they worked in the mines, labored in industrial towns like 
Pueblo, helped shape Denver and other communities, and were farmers as 
well.
  Today African Americans continue to make important contributions in 
Colorado to our economy, to our culture, and at the highest levels of 
our municipal and State governments. Together with fellow Coloradans, 
they look forward to this new century with hope and determination to 
make our State's future one of opportunity and achievement.
  But as we look forward, it is important that we not lose sight of the 
past and the distance that we in Colorado and in the Nation have come. 
For as we all know, we must remember the past if we are to understand 
the present and to build for the future. So the resolution before us is 
most appropriate, both as it pertains to a specific example of African-
American pioneers, and as it calls for us to remember the larger story 
of which they were a part.
  As noted in the resolution before us, as my colleague, the gentleman 
from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) pointed out, Oliver Jackson and other 
African Americans joined to form an agricultural colony in northeastern 
Colorado early in the last century. The result was the founding of 
Dearfield, which reached a peak population of 700 before it, like so 
many other agricultural communities on the Plains, began to fade away.

[[Page H458]]

  Today, the resolution notes, Dearfield is no longer an active 
community. Drought, the Great Depression, and other economic and social 
changes have left it abandoned, but Dearfield has not been forgotten. 
On the contrary, by passing this resolution, the House today will be 
saying that it is important for all of us in Colorado and in the rest 
of this country to remember the contributions of Oliver Jackson and the 
other settlers of Dearfield, and all of the other African-American 
pioneers in Colorado and the West.
  So again, I thank my colleague for bringing forward this resolution, 
and look forward to working with him to help increase public 
recognition and understanding of the importance of the Dearfield 
settlers and of other African Americans, the history of our State, and 
the West.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Baca).
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, in honor of African American History Month 
this February, I would like to join my colleagues in recognizing the 
outstanding contributions of African Americans in history like those of 
Dearfield, Colorado. These remarkable pioneers greatly contributed to 
the settling and shaping of the American West.
  For example, in California, we have a remarkable African-American 
pioneer, Alvin Coffey, who braved the journey across country not once 
but twice while enslaved.
  After his final voyage, he was able to save money to buy his freedom 
and settle in California. He became very successful. In the final years 
of his life, he gave his entire income to charity.
  In honor of this month-long celebration of achievement and history of 
African Americans, we must remember the continuing struggle that many 
people in this country face in the search for freedom, equality and 
full representation as guaranteed by our Constitution.
  On February 17, Black History Month was celebrated in my district. 
African-American communities came together.
  Specifically, I would like to commend the following newspapers in my 
district who contribute to inspire and shape the political landscape 
for our areas of African-American communities: The Precinct Reporter, 
Brian Townsend, editor and owner and brother to my Chief of Staff, 
Michael Townsend; The Black Voice, Cheryl Brown, editor, whose daughter 
Paulette Brown-Hinds is my congressional representative and press 
secretary, and whose father, Hardy Brown, is an extremely hard-working 
community activist in the Inland Empire.
  African Americans contributed greatly to the remarkable history of 
our Nation. We must recognize their sacrifice and struggles. However, 
most importantly, we must continue to follow the footsteps of those 
heroes and fight on for freedom. We must fight on for justice. Only 
when everyone's voice is heard can we continue our long march towards 
equal opportunity for all.
  Let our dreams keep alive. Let hope keep alive. Let us remember the 
struggle that Martin Luther King has done for our country and for our 
Nation, and never forget we must continue to fight for justice and 
equality.
  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would say this is a great resolution, and I am honored 
to be able to introduce it in the House. I want to just mention all of 
the people back home in Colorado who have worked hard to elevate the 
prominence of Dearfield, and also to my colleague, the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Udall), a cosponsor of the resolution, this is a great 
Colorado effort and a great western statement, and particularly fitting 
on this closing day of Black History Month.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I would just echo the statements 
of my friend and colleague, the gentleman from the great State of 
Colorado.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 54, to 
commemorate African American pioneers in Colorado and I thank my 
colleague for introducing this important legislation. I believe it is 
appropriate for Americans to more fully understand the contributions 
made by African Americans to the history of our country, especially 
their roles in shaping the culture of the West. Specifically, this 
resolution highlights the founding of a town called Dearfield, Colorado 
by Oliver T. Jackson in 1910. It is appropriate this February, during 
Black History Month, to honor the founding of Dearfield as well as 
other contributions African Americans made to the development of the 
West.
  The Black American West Museum and Heritage Center is located in my 
district in Denver. Paul Stewart founded this museum to educate people 
about the role of African Americans in the settling of the West. When 
Mr. Stewart played ``Cowboys and Indians'' as a child, he never played 
a cowboy because, as he was told, there were no black cowboys. Through 
the work of the Black History Museum and Heritage Center, Mr. Stewart 
has since proven his childhood friends wrong. Nearly one-third of the 
cowboys who helped build the West were African American. In fact, 
African Americans in the West worked in various positions including 
doctors, riders on the Pony Express, stage coach drivers, teachers, and 
soldiers.
  In Colorado, Dearfield was established by an African American and 
grew to include a school, churches, a blacksmith shop, a doctor's 
office, and other community markers. Dearfield succumbed to a drought 
and the Great Depression in the mid-1930's, yet it remains a prized 
piece of African American history in the Western United States.
  The African American pioneers of the early West achieved much during 
their lives, including helping to pave the way for modern-day African 
American pioneers. From civil rights activists to teachers and business 
leaders, African Americans continue to shape and influence Colorado and 
the American West. While we pause to remember those African Americans 
who helped settle Colorado, let us also recognize those who continue to 
shape our state and nation.
  I thank Congressman Schaffer for introducing this legislation and 
reminding us all of the important contributions to Colorado and the 
West made by African Americans.
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to join in support of 
the resolution by the gentleman from Colorado (Bob Schaffer) to honor 
the outstanding contributions of African American Pioneers of the West. 
As we reflect upon the development of the American West, the vital role 
of African Americans is shamefully overlooked.
  In the American West, African Americans were settlers, explorers, 
cowboys, ranchers, soldiers, peace officers, miners, blacksmiths, 
lawyers and legislators. But because our historical literature fails to 
appropriately acknowledge their many achievements, African Americans 
are largely omitted from the stories of Western American settlement. 
The fact is, Mr. Speaker, African Americans made a vitally significant 
contribution to the success of our early nation.
  As much as one-third of all cowboys were African American. The 
cowboy, or vaquero, as their Hispanic counterparts were called, was one 
of the most dangerous and hardest jobs in the West, vital to developing 
an economic base. African Americans, some of the first Western American 
millionaires, purchased land and worked to develop agriculture into the 
national economic asset it is today.
  African Americans traveled west in covered wagons across the country 
to form all-Black, self-sufficient towns. African American residents 
held every position and job necessary to ensure the town's survival. As 
blacksmiths or State legislators, African Americans made the West a 
part of our Nation.
  African Americans also introduced law and order to the West. As peace 
officers and as soldiers in the United States Army, African Americans 
made the frontier safer for settlers. In Texas' early years, about half 
of the lawmen who rode with the State Police were African Americans. 
Many African Americans also rode with Theodore Roosevelt's famous Rough 
Riders and these Buffalo soldiers were famous for their uncommon valor.
  It is appropriate, especially during Black History Month, to 
celebrate the many positive efforts of African Americans in forging the 
American West. We celebrate this history by acknowledging the heritage 
and significant contributions of our African American brothers and 
sisters.
  I applaud Congressman Schaffer and the members of the Congressional 
Black Caucus for bringing long-overdue attention to these little known 
historical facts. I call on schools across the Nation to incorporate 
this important history into our student's education.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.

                              {time}  1130

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 54.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of

[[Page H459]]

those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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