AURORA, Colo. — A statue celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Justina Ford was unveiled in The Aurora Highlands neighborhood in Aurora.
Ford was the first licensed African American female doctor in Denver, delivering about 7,000 babies throughout her career. Many of those people still live in Colorado.
The statue was created by international artists Gillie and Marc through the Statues for Equality program, which aims to place more statues of powerful, inspirational women worldwide.
"Over the past 15 years, 99% of our sculpture commission requests have been for statues of men,” read a statement from the artists. “When we dug deeper, we found this to be a global issue compelling us to pledge our creativity towards rectifying this imbalance. Stories like Dr. Justina Ford’s deserve to be memorialized, and we are profoundly honored to be a part of creating a space for people to connect within The Aurora Highlands and draw inspiration from her remarkable journey for generations to come.”
The bronze statue displays Dr. Ford wearing a lab coat and stethoscope around her neck. She looks down at a baby that she cradles in her arms.
"I think having this sculpture here is an opportunity to make people curious to ask questions about why is this sculpture here," said Roberta Bloom, manager of public art for the City of Aurora.
Bloom and Carla Ferreira, director of onsite development and principal at The Aurora Highlands, were instrumental in bringing the statue to the neighborhood.
"It's very touching," said Daphne Rice-Allen, chair of The Black American West Museum & Heritage Center. "It's a beautiful statue."
The Black American West Museum & Heritage Center in Denver's Five Points neighborhood was the home and workplace of Dr. Ford. She was born just years after the Civil War concluded and attended medical school in Illinois before moving to Colorado.
"When she comes to Colorado to get her license, she was extended her license begrudgingly," said Rice-Allen. "The gentleman says, 'You're Black, you're female. I shouldn't be giving you this. I shouldn't be taking your money,' but has given her her license."
Denied access to practice at hospitals throughout much of her life, Dr. Ford delivered babies from her home and also made house calls throughout her community.
"She was not just servicing African Americans. She was servicing everybody," said Rice-Allen. "She was the lady doctor."
In the last years of her life, Dr. Ford was given access to practice in hospitals, but she made her mark on the community long before that. A 2020 photograph at The Black American West Museum & Heritage Center shows a gathering of people who had been delivered by Dr. Ford.
"There are a lot of them that are still living here in Colorado in the Denver area," said Rice-Allen.
Dr. Ford's statue is part of a 2-mile art walk throughout The Aurora Highlands community. Blooms said it will serve as an inspiration to all who see it.
"From the beginning, she really had to fight," said Dr. Ford. "I think that encompasses that spirit of determination and persistence. That's really important to all of us."
