Ruth Denny facts for kids

Ruth Cousins Denny (November 1, 1920 – October 9, 2012) was an important Black teacher and civil rights leader in Denver, Colorado. She spent her life fighting against unfair treatment and educating young people. Ruth Denny helped start the Denver chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). She also led many peaceful protests and actions around Denver to make things better for everyone.

Ruth Denny's Early Life

Ruth Denny was born on November 1, 1920, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her family faced challenges, and her grandmother had been enslaved. Ruth's father died when she was very young. Her mother worked hard to care for five children. Ruth saw her mother deal with racial discrimination. This made Ruth want to become a lawyer to fight for justice. However, at that time, it was very difficult for a Black woman to become a lawyer.

Teaching and Civil Rights Work

Ruth Denny earned her college degree from Stowe Teacher's College. She also took advanced classes at other universities. She began teaching at Sumner High School in St. Louis in 1944.

In 1951, she moved to Denver, Colorado. She hoped it would be a more open and fair place than Missouri. But she was surprised to find similar unfair treatment there.

Becoming a Teacher in Denver

It took Ruth 10 years to get a teaching job with Denver Public Schools (DPS). When she first applied in 1952, she was told she was "too fat." She lost a lot of weight and tried again. Then she was told she had a kidney problem. Even with a doctor's note saying she was healthy, she was still denied. Finally, in 1962, she was hired as a substitute teacher. Later, she became a permanent teacher. She taught at Gilpin Elementary and Asbury Elementary for 26 years.

Leading Civil Rights Efforts

Ruth Denny was a major civil rights leader in Denver during the 1950s and 1960s. She helped organize the Denver chapter of CORE. She also raised money for CORE's activities. For example, she helped send two busloads of people from Colorado to the famous March on Washington in 1963.

Ruth Denny led many activities to improve civil rights in Denver. She helped picket businesses that treated Black people unfairly in hiring. She also worked to make sure schools had fair rules for both teachers and students. She helped integrate the Sportland YMCA. Her family was the first African American family to buy a family membership there.

One important protest she led was against Denver Dry Goods. This department store only hired Black people for cleaning jobs. CORE members tried to convince the owners to hire Black sales clerks. When that didn't work, they protested outside the store for five weeks.

Preserving History

Ruth Denny started a project called "Rebels Remembered." This project aimed to collect the history of the civil rights movement in Denver. She wanted to make sure that high school students could learn about this local history. She felt it was important that these stories were not forgotten.

Church Leadership

Ruth Denny was also a leader in her church. In 1964, she became the first Black woman to serve as a Deacon at Montview Presbyterian Church. Before that, she was the Assistant Superintendent of Sunday School at Peoples Presbyterian Church.

Ruth Denny's Family Life

Ruth Denny's first husband was Eugene Ambrose Briscoe. They had two children together: Michael Eugene Briscoe and Dianne Louise Briscoe. Her second husband was Galloway H. Denny. They were married until he passed away in 1987.

Later Life and Passing

Ruth Denny passed away on October 9, 2012, in Denver. She was 91 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Ruth Denny received many awards for her important work:

• Humanitarian Award from the Colorado Martin Luther King Holiday Commission (1995)
• Service to the Community award from the Shaka Franklin Foundation (2006)
• Trailblazer Award from the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Social Responsibility Awards (2010)
• She was inducted into the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame
• She was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame (2022)

See also

• Congress of Racial Equality
• Denver Public Schools