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In 2009, Terrance Carroll was chosen by his colleagues to serve as speaker of the Colorado House. Leading their Senate counterparts since 2007 was Peter Groff. For the first time in American history, both chambers of a state legislature were led by a Black person.
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At the time, they were the only 2 Black legislators in Colorado. Both men were so focused on their legislative agendas, they hadn't considered they were making history. After an outpouring of recognition, Carroll said, “It’s become clear that the whole community is watching.”
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Colorado has a complicated history with race. Thanks to Black activists, Colorado entered the union in 1876 with a state constitution that outlawed racial discrimination. But not even a century had passed since the state government was controlled at every level by the KKK.
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The great-grandson of enslaved people, Carroll grew up in DC & graduated from Morehouse. He moved to Colorado to get his PhD in political science, eventually switching his focus to religion. Before being elected in 2002, he served as a minister, a police officer, & a lawyer.
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Groff spent his career in Colorado politics. In 1997, he founded the Center for African American Policy at @UofDenver. He was elected to the state House in 2000 & appointed to the state Senate 3 years later, assuming the seat that had previously been held by his father.
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Both men embraced their leaderships as an opportunity to lift up women and people of color to key positions. They also worked together on education reform, giving each school more power on everything from hiring to curriculum.
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. @speakercarroll and @petercgroff never set out to be historic firsts. They cared about their Colorado community & wanted to serve the people. But the path they paved the same year America inaugurated its first Black president had an impact on people across the country.
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