DENVER — On Friday, for the first time in Colorado, the state will celebrate Dr. Justina Ford Day.
Ford, the first licensed Black female doctor in the state, recently received the honor and this year will be the first year it is recognized.
To celebrate the recent designation and what would've been Ford's 150th birthday, the community is hosting a special livestream presentation.
Volunteers for the Black American West Museum, located inside of Ford’s former Five Points home, will host the event.
It begins at noon on Friday and will be livestreamed on the museum’s websiteand Facebook page.
Sylvia Lambe, public relations strategist for the Black American West Museum, said the celebration will include a violinist, poet, Dr. Justina Ford reenactor, plus a few greetings from Gov. Jared Polis, Sen. Michael Bennett, the Denver Broncos, and Denver Nuggets.
“The livestream is actually going to be a mixture of live entertainment that’s going to be held at Zion Baptist Church where she was the first lady when she first arrived with her husband, Mr. Ford, who was actually a minister at Zion Baptist Church,” Lambe said.
Lambe said the celebration would’ve been held at the museum but thanks to several recent preservation donations and awards, the museum is currently under construction.
The museum received a $100,000 grant from local pediatrics specialist, Dr. Renee Cousins.
The museum also received a $150,000 award from a national competition hosted by American Express, National Geographic, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Dr. Justina Ford’s story was a part of our 2019 Black History Month coverage. You can watch her full story here.