Colorado Women's Hall of Fame facts for kids
Frances Wisebart Jacobs, a kind person who helped others and started the group that became United Way
Golda Meir, Israel's fourth Prime Minister
Chipeta, a leader and negotiator, with her husband Chief Ouray
The Colorado Women's Hall of Fame is a special group that honors women who have made amazing contributions to the state of Colorado. It's a non-profit organization, meaning it's run by volunteers and doesn't aim to make money. As of 2020, 170 women have been chosen for this honor.
Contents
What is the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame?
The Colorado Women's Hall of Fame was created to celebrate women who have done great things in Colorado. It also aims to inspire young girls and women by showing them strong role models. Being part of the board also gives women chances to develop their leadership skills. The idea for the Hall of Fame started in February 1984 and was officially set up by June of that same year.
Before this, there was a shorter-lived program in 1965 called the "Colorado Women of Achievement" awards. This program honored three women each year who had excelled in their jobs or hobbies. They received a cash prize and a special pin.
How are women chosen for the Hall of Fame?
To be chosen for the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame, women must have strong connections to Colorado. They also need to have done the following during their lives:
- Made important and lasting contributions in their areas of work.
- Helped improve the standing of women in society.
- Opened new doors for women and for everyone in general.
- Inspired others through their actions and example.
Who are some of the amazing women inducted?
Up to 10 new women are added to the Hall of Fame every two years (in even-numbered years). Here are some of the remarkable women who have been honored:
| Name | Image | Years Lived | Year Inducted | What They Achieved | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katherine Archuleta |  |
(b. 1949) | 2020 | First Latina Director of the United States Office of Personnel Management | |
| Guadalupe Briseno | (b. 1933) | 2020 | A Chicana leader in Colorado’s Labor Movement | ||
| Rosalind “Bee” Harris | (b. 1950) | 2020 | Founder of the Denver Urban Spectrum newspaper and a youth foundation | ||
| Velveta Howell | (b. 1957) | 2020 | Colorado Deputy District Attorney | ||
| Marianne Neifert | (b. 1948) | 2020 | A doctor and expert on breastfeeding | ||
| Gale Norton |  |
(b. 1954) | 2020 | United States Secretary of the Interior, and Attorney General of Colorado | |
| Mary Lou Anderson | (1917-1994) | 2020 | Promoted cultural arts and arts education | ||
| Alida Cornelia Avery |  |
(1833–1908) | 2020 | A doctor, college professor, and first president of the Colorado Woman Suffrage Association | |
| Elizabeth Piper Ensley |  |
(1847–1919) | 2020 | An African American educator, political activist, and suffragist | |
| Carolina Gonzalez | (1894-1996) | 2020 | Supported arts and culture; helped refugees in Denver. | ||
| Leslie Foster | (b. 1957) | 2018 | Known for community activism | ||
| Gerie Grimes | (b. 1950) | 2018 | Recognized for community service | ||
| Susan Helms |  |
(b. 1958) | 2018 | A NASA Astronaut who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour | |
| Dorothy Horrell | (b. 1951) | 2018 | Chancellor of CU Denver | ||
| Fay Matsukage | (b. 1955) | 2018 | A corporate and securities lawyer | ||
| Gail Schoettler | (b. 1943) | 2018 | 44th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado | ||
| Mae Boettcher | (1912–2001) | 2018 | A kind person who supported cultural and healthcare places | ||
| Ellis Meredith | (1865–1955) | 2018 | A skilled journalist who led Colorado's movement for women's right to vote | ||
| Doreen Pollack | (1921–2005) | 2018 | Developed ways to teach deaf children to listen and talk | ||
| Amache Prowers |  |
(1846–1905) | 2018 | A cultural mediator who helped connect Native American and Western cultures | |
| Anna Jo Haynes | (b. 1934) | 2016 | A civil rights activist who brought the national Head Start Program to Denver | ||
| Arlene Vigil Kramer | (b. 1938) | 2016 | An educator and pioneer of bilingual education | ||
| Lydia Peña | (b. 1934) | 2016 | A Catholic nun, educator, and author who supports education for girls | ||
| Sandra I. Rothenberg | (b. 1943) | 2016 | An appellate court judge and pioneer in fighting sex discrimination | ||
| Shari Shink | (b. 1948) | 2016 | An attorney and advocate for abused and neglected children | ||
| Judith Wagner | (b. 1943) | 2016 | Co-founder of both the Colorado Women's Foundation and the Women's Bank | ||
| Anne Evans | (1871–1941) | 2016 | An American arts activist who helped found and support Colorado's largest cultural institutions | ||
| Minnie Harding | (1857–1937) | 2016 | A kind person who gave money to good causes and was a founding member of the Colorado Federation of Women's Clubs | ||
| Laura Hershey | (1962–2010) | 2016 | An author, activist, and advocate for people with disabilities | ||
| Elizabeth Pellet | (1887–1976) | 2016 | First woman minority leader in the Colorado State Legislature | ||
| Christine Arguello | (b. 1955) | 2014 | A federal judge and former Colorado state official | ||
| Morley Cowles Ballantine | (1925–2009) | 2014 | A newspaper publisher and kind person who gave money to good causes | ||
| Lauren Young Casteel | (b. 1953) | 2014 | First black woman to lead a foundation in Colorado | ||
| Penny Rafferty Hamilton | (b. 1948) | 2014 | A pilot, educator, and co-holder of a World Aviation Speed Record | ||
| Julia Archibald Holmes |  |
(1838–1887) | 2014 | First woman to climb Pikes Peak | |
| Elizabeth Wright Ingraham | (1922–2013) | 2014 | An architect | ||
| Kristina Johnson | (b. 1957) | 2014 | Known for her work in optoelectronic systems and 3D imaging | ||
| Joanne Maguire | (b. 1954) | 2014 | An aerospace engineer | ||
| Helen Ring Robinson |  |
(1878–1923) | 2014 | A journalist, suffragist, and the first woman elected to the Colorado State Senate | |
| Diana Wall | (b. 1950) | 2014 | An expert on soil invertebrate diversity | ||
| Kristi S. Anseth | (b. 1968) | 2012 | A professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder | ||
| Janet Bonnema | (1938–2008) | 2012 | A transportation engineer who won a lawsuit against discrimination | ||
| Fannie Mae Duncan | (1918–2005) | 2012 | Owner of The Cotton Club bar in Colorado Springs | ||
| Loretta Ford | (b. 1920) | 2012 | Co-founded the nurse-practitioner model at the University of Colorado | ||
| Erinea Garcia Gallegos | (1903–2002) | 2012 | An educator and postmistress in San Luis Valley | ||
| Laura Gilpin | (1891–1979) | 2012 | A photographer known for her portraits of Native Americans and Southwestern landscapes | ||
| Temple Grandin |  |
(b. 1947) | 2012 | A doctor of animal science, professor, and bestselling author | |
| Ding-Wen Hsu | (b. 1948) | 2012 | Co-founder and major owner of Pacific Western Technologies | ||
| Mary Ann Kerwin | (b. 1931) | 2012 | Co-founder of La Leche League International; advocate for women's health | ||
| Mary J. Mullarkey | (1943-2021) | 2012 | Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice | ||
| Madeleine Albright |  |
(1937-2022) | 2010 | First woman to become the United States Secretary of State | |
| Elinor Miller Greenberg | (1932-2021) | 2010 | An adult educator and author | ||
| Maria Guajardo | (b. 1959) | 2010 | Executive director of the Latin American Research and Service Agency | ||
| Philippa Marrack | (b. 1945) | 2010 | A biologist known for her research into T cells and immune system issues | ||
| Ramona Martinez | (b. 1943) | 2010 | A businesswoman and former president of the Denver City Council | ||
| Hattie McDaniel |  |
(1895–1952) | 2010 | An American actress and first African-American to win an Academy Award for her role in Gone with the Wind | |
| Susan O'Brien | (1939–2003) | 2010 | First female television news director in Denver | ||
| Bartley Marie Scott | (1896–1979) | 2010 | A rancher and conservationist | ||
| Alice Bemis Taylor | (1877–1942) | 2010 | A kind person who gave money to good causes | ||
| Jill S. Tietjen | (b. 1954) | 2010 | An author and electrical engineer | ||
| Sue Anschutz-Rodgers | (b. 1936) | 2008 | A cattle rancher and kind person who gave money to good causes | ||
| Alicia Cuarón | (b. 1939) | 2008 | A Mexican-American educator, human rights activist, and Latina leader | ||
| Evie Dennis | (b. 1924) | 2008 | An education and athletics advocate | ||
| Jean Dubofsky | (b. 1942) | 2008 | First woman to become a Colorado Supreme Court Justice | ||
| Katherine Keating | (1922–2009) | 2008 | First woman in the United States Navy to rise from seaman recruit to captain | ||
| Mary Lou Makepeace | (b. 1940) | 2008 | Colorado Springs' first female mayor | ||
| Lily Nie | (b. 1963) | 2008 | Founder of Chinese Children Adoption International and other cultural groups | ||
| Anna Petteys | (1892–1970) | 2008 | First woman elected to the Colorado Board of Education | ||
| Eliza Routt |  |
(1839–1907) | 2008 | A suffragist and Colorado's first First Lady | |
| Rhea Woltman | (1927-2021) | 2008 | A pilot and one of the First Lady Astronaut Trainees for the Mercury project | ||
| Mildred Didrikson Zaharias |  |
(1911–1956) | 2008 | An athlete who excelled in golf, basketball, and track and field | |
| Stephanie Allen | (b. 1937) | 2006 | Founder of the Colorado Women's Coalition and a women's advocate | ||
| Judy Collins |  |
(b. 1939) | 2006 | A famous singer-songwriter | |
| Marion Downs | (1914–2014) | 2006 | An Audiologist who helped start universal newborn hearing screening | ||
| Clarissa Pinkola Estés | (b. 1945) | 2006 | An American poet and post-trauma specialist | ||
| Arlene Hirschfeld | (b. 1944) | 2006 | A community leader, kind person who gave money to good causes, and activist | ||
| Jean Jones | (b. 1942) | 2006 | President and CEO of Girl Scouts – Mile Hi Council | ||
| Fannie Lorber | (1881–1958) | 2006 | Founder of the Denver Sheltering Home | ||
| Susan Solomon |  |
(b. 1956) | 2006 | An atmospheric chemist working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | |
| Caroline Spencer |  |
(1861–1928) | 2006 | A suffragist and physician | |
| Vivien Spitz | (1924–2014) | 2006 | A court reporter at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials | ||
| Anna Lee Aldred | (1921–2006) | 2004 | First woman in the United States to receive a jockey's license | ||
| Louie Croft Boyd | (1871–1951) | 2004 | Helped found the Colorado State Trained Nurses Association | ||
| Merle Chambers | (b. 1946) | 2004 | A kind person who gave money to good causes, businesswoman, and lawyer | ||
| Patricia A. Gabow | (b. 1944) | 2004 | CEO of Denver Health and Hospital Authority | ||
| Carlotta LaNier | (b. 1942) | 2004 | The youngest of the Little Rock Nine, who were the first black students to attend Little Rock Central High School | ||
| Portia Mansfield | (1887–1979) | 2004 | Co-founder of the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp | ||
| Carol Mutter |  |
(b. 1945) | 2004 | First woman in the United States Armed Forces to be promoted to major general and lieutenant general | |
| Antoinette Perry-Frueauff | (1888–1946) | 2004 | An actress and director | ||
| Charlotte Perry | (1889–1983) | 2004 | Co-founder of the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp | ||
| Arie Parks Taylor | (1927–2003) | 2004 | A public servant and community leader | ||
| Linda G. Alvarado | (b. 1950) | 2002 | President and CEO of Alvarado Construction | ||
| Virginia Fraser | (1928–2011) | 2002 | An advocate for women's rights and the elderly | ||
| Gudy Gaskill | (1927–2016) | 2002 | An outdoorswoman and organizer of the Colorado Trail | ||
| Jo Ann Cram Joselyn | (b. 1943) | 2002 | First woman and first American to serve as secretary general for a major science union | ||
| Mary Miller |  |
(1842–1921) | 2002 | Founded the city of Lafayette, Colorado | |
| Sue Miller | (1934–2017) | 2002 | A fashion model and breast cancer survivor who founded the Sue Miller Day of Caring | ||
| Gloria Tanner | (1935-2022) | 2002 | First African American woman to serve in the Colorado State Senate | ||
| Emily Howell Warner | (1939-2020) | 2002 | First woman hired as a pilot by a major U.S. airline | ||
| Polly Baca | (b. 1941) | 2000 | First woman to lead the Democratic Caucus of the Colorado House of Representatives | ||
| Joy S. Burns | (1927-2020) | 2000 | President of the Burnsley Hotel in Denver | ||
| Josie Heath | (b. 1937) | 2000 | President of the Community Foundation serving Boulder County; community activist and educator | ||
| J. Virginia Lincoln | (1915–2003) | 2000 | Director of the World Data Center A for Solar-Terrestrial Physics | ||
| Pauline Short Robinson | (1915–1997) | 2000 | First African-American librarian in Denver | ||
| Martha M. Urioste | (b. 1937) | 2000 | A Montessori educator | ||
| Zita Weinshienk | (b. 1933) | 2000 | A United States federal judge | ||
| Susan Anderson |  |
(1870–1960) | 1997 | A frontier doctor | |
| Eppie Archuleta | (1922–2014) | 1997 | A folk artist | ||
| Ceal Barry | (b. 1955) | 1997 | A women's basketball coach | ||
| Juana Bordas | (b. 1942) | 1997 | President of the National Hispana Leadership Institute and an advocate for women | ||
| Swanee Hunt |  |
(b. 1950) | 1997 | Founding director of the Women and Public Policy Program and former U.S. Ambassador | |
| Reynelda Muse | (b. 1947) | 1997 | First woman and first African-American to anchor a newscast in Colorado | ||
| Mary Luke Tobin | (1908–2006) | 1997 | An American Roman Catholic Religious Sister | ||
| Joan Birkland | (1928-2019) | 1996 | An athlete and organizer | ||
| Elise M. Boulding | (1920–2010) | 1996 | A Quaker sociologist and contributor to Peace and Conflict Studies | ||
| Dana Hudkins Crawford | (1920–2010) | 1996 | A historic preservationist and developer | ||
| Margaret L. Curry | (1898–1986) | 1996 | A parole officer and advocate for women prisoners | ||
| Terri H. Finkel | (b. 1953) | 1996 | A researcher into auto-immunity and other health issues | ||
| Elnora M. Gilfoyle | (b. 1934) | 1996 | An occupational therapist and advocate for those with disabilities | ||
| Mary Elitch Long |  |
(1856–1936) | 1996 | A businesswoman and one of the original owners of Elitch Gardens | |
| Frances McConnell-Mills | (1899–1974) | 1996 | Denver's first city toxicologist and perhaps the first female forensic pathologist in the U.S. | ||
| Rachel Bassette Noel | (1918–2008) | 1996 | An African American educator, politician, and civil rights leader | ||
| Marilyn Van Derbur |  |
(b. 1937) | 1996 | 1958 Miss America and founder of abuse awareness groups | |
| Mildred Pitts Walter | (b. 1922) | 1996 | An author, activist, educator, and women's advocate | ||
| Helen Marie Black | (1896–1988) | 1991 | Founder of the Denver Symphony Orchestra | ||
| Genevieve Fiore | (1912–2002) | 1991 | A humanitarian and peace activist | ||
| Augusta Tabor |  |
(1833–1905) | 1991 | An entrepreneur and first wife of silver king Horace Tabor | |
| Wilma Webb | (b. 1944) | 1991 | A member of the Colorado State Legislature and first First Lady of Denver to hold political office | ||
| Caroline Bancroft | (1900–1985) | 1990 | A journalist and former performer | ||
| Hendrika B. Cantwell | (b. 1925) | 1990 | An advocate for neglected and abused children | ||
| Sarah Platt-Decker |  |
(1855–1912) | 1990 | A suffragette and advocate for women's rights | |
| Jane Silverstein Ries | (1909–2005) | 1990 | First female landscape architect in Denver | ||
| Clara Brown |  |
(c. 1800–1885) | 1989 | Helped former slaves settle during Colorado's Gold Rush | |
| Edwina Hume Fallis | (1876–1957) | 1989 | An author | ||
| Sumiko Hennessy | (b. 1937) | 1989 | Founding board member and executive director of the Asian Pacific Development Center | ||
| Cleo Parker Robinson | (b. 1948) | 1989 | A choreographer and artistic director of a dance ensemble | ||
| Caroline Nichols Churchill |  |
(1833–1926) | 1988 | A feminist writer | |
| Oleta Crain | (1913–2007) | 1988 | A Major in the U.S. Army and regional administrator for the Women's Bureau | ||
| B.LaRae Orullian | (b. 1933) | 1988 | Founding president and CEO of the Women's Bank in Denver | ||
| Elizabeth Hickok Robbins Stone |  |
(1801–1895) | 1988 | Ran the first hotel in the Fort Collins area and started businesses | |
| Miriam Goldberg | (1916–2017) | 1987 | Publisher of the Intermountain Jewish News | ||
| Frances Wisebart Jacobs | |
(1843–1892) | 1987 | A school teacher and kind person who helped start the United Way | |
| Mary Florence Lathrop | (1865–1951) | 1987 | A journalist and lawyer; first woman to try a case before the Colorado Supreme Court | ||
| Lenore E. Walker | (b. 1942) | 1987 | Founder of the Domestic Violence Institute | ||
| Antonia Brico |  |
(1902–1989) | 1986 | A conductor and pianist | |
| Helen White Peterson | (1915–2000) | 1986 | First Native American woman director of the National Congress of American Indians | ||
| Josephine Roche |  |
(1886–1976) | 1986 | A humanitarian, industrialist, activist, and politician | |
| Eudochia Bell Smith | (1887–1977) | 1986 | A newspaper editor, Colorado legislator, and registrar | ||
| Lena Lovato Archuleta | (1920–2011) | 1985 | A Colorado educator, first Latina principal in the Denver Public Schools | ||
| Isabella Bird |  |
(1831–1904) | 1985 | An explorer, writer, and natural historian | |
| Helen Bonfils | (1889–1972) | 1985 | An arts patron, kind person who gave money to good causes, and managed the Denver Post | ||
| Molly Brown |  |
(1867–1932) | 1985 | A socialite and kind person who helped others, famous for surviving the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic | |
| Chipeta | .jpg) |
(1843/4–1924) | 1985 | Second wife of Chief Ouray of the Uncompahgre Ute tribe, she led her people and used diplomacy for peace | |
| Mary Coyle Chase |  |
(1906–1981) | 1985 | A journalist, playwright, and screenwriter, known for Harvey | |
| Mamie Eisenhower |  |
(1896–1979) | 1985 | Wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and First Lady of the United States | |
| Justina Ford |  |
(1871–1952) | 1985 | Denver's first black woman physician | |
| Emily Griffith | (1868–1947) | 1985 | A pioneer of adult education, founder of the Emily Griffith Opportunity School | ||
| Helen Hunt Jackson |  |
(1830–1885) | 1985 | A writer who became an activist for better treatment of Native Americans | |
| Dottie Lamm | (b. 1937) | 1985 | Former First Lady of Colorado | ||
| Martha Maxwell |  |
(1831–1881) | 1985 | A self-educated naturalist and artist who helped found modern taxidermy | |
| Golda Meir | |
(1898–1978) | 1985 | A teacher, and politician who became the fourth Prime Minister of Israel | |
| Owl Woman |  |
(1828–1847) | 1985 | A Cheyenne princess who helped manage relations between Native American tribes and Anglo American men | |
| Mary Rippon | (1850–1935) | 1985 | One of the first women to become faculty at a university; taught at the University of Colorado | ||
| Florence Sabin |  |
(1871–1953) | 1985 | A medical scientist and pioneer for women in science | |
| Hazel Schmoll | (1890–1990) | 1985 | A Colorado botanist who studied plant life in Southwestern Colorado | ||
| Pat Schroeder |  |
(b. 1940) | 1985 | A Democratic politician who represented Colorado in the United States House of Representatives | |
| May Bonfils Stanton | (1883–1962) | 1985 | A kind person who gave money to good causes | ||
| Anne Steinbeck | (b. 1929) | 1985 | First Colorado woman to serve as president of a national business women's club | ||
| Ruth Stockton | (1916–1990) | 1985 | A legislator; first woman president pro-tem of the Colorado State Senate | ||
| Baby Doe Tabor |  |
(1854–1935) | 1985 | Second wife of Colorado businessman Horace Tabor and inspiration for an opera | |
| Hannah Marie Wormington | (1914–1994) | 1985 | An archaeologist and author; first woman to get a doctorate in anthropology at Harvard | ||
| Jean Yancey | (1914–2000) | 1985 | A women's small business consultant and motivational speaker |
Images for kids
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Frances Wisebart Jacobs, philanthropist, founder of the organization that became the United Way
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Golda Meir, Israel's fourth Prime Minister
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Chipeta, leader and negotiator, with her husband Chief Ouray
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Katherine Archuleta
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Gale Norton
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Alida Avery
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Elizabeth Piper Ensley
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Susan Helms
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Amache Prowers
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Julia Archibald Holmes
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Helen Ring Robinson
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Temple Grandin
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Madeleine Albright
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Hattie McDaniel
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Susan Anderson
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Swanee Hunt
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Mary Elitch Long
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Marilyn Van Derbur
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Eliza Routt
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Babe Didrikson Zaharias
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Judy Collins
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Susan Solomon
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Dr. Caroline Spencer
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Carol Mutter
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Mary Miller
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Susan Anderson
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Augusta Tabor
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Sarah Platt-Decker
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Clara Brown
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Caroline Nichols Churchill
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Elizabeth Hickok Robbins Stone
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Frances Wisebart Jacobs
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Antonia Brico
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Josephine Roche
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Isabella Bird
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Molly Brown
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Chipeta
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Mary Coyle Chase
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Mamie Eisenhower
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Justina Ford
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Helen Hunt Jackson
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Martha Maxwell
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Golda Meir
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Owl Woman
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Florence Sabin
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Pat Schroeder
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Baby Doe Tabor
See also
In Spanish: Salón de la Fama de las Mujeres de Colorado para niños
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Colorado Women's Hall of Fame Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.