Colorado was a rough and tumble place in the early 1900’s. While the Wild West had finally been settled after the encouragement of the Homestead Act, the area was still plagued with unresolved political issues as the nation as a whole sought to establish itself as a major world power. Denver was rife with segregation and racial tensions as white residents became fearful of their job security when it became clear that there was significant competition from black Americans and immigrants.
Notable legislation around this time sought to limit the freedoms and naturalization opportunities of immigrants and people of color but Oliver T. Jackson fought against this grain.
Booker T. Washington published his autobiography, “Up From Slavery,” in 1901 — his book would have long lasting impacts on millions of people. One such person was Jackson, who read the words of Washington and sought to emulate his ideals for black land ownership.
Jackson worked for then-Gov. John Shafroth and petitioned him in May 1909 to support a plan to create an agricultural settlement for black Americans in Weld County.
Jackson went on to file a desert claim for the land in May 1910. Settlers named the town Dearfield because of their passion to own land and create a safe haven for black Americans in the state. The town was quickly constructed and within a decade had hundreds of homes, a dance hall, a school and a cafe.
The early progress of the town was closely followed and reported on by the Denver Star, a weekly newspaper primarily serving black communities of the larger western region.
Throughout the early and mid 1910s, the Star published frequent updates on the prosperity of the town and urged those willing to put in the hard work to settle there.
By 1920, Dearfield was a resounding success and had a population of several hundred residents, boasting all the amenities of a small town at the time. However, the 1930s brought with it the Dust Bowl and the town was forced to sell many of the buildings for lumber to survive.
By 1946, Jackson was the only inhabitant.
He died in February just two years later, still trying to revitalize the town into the community he had envisioned.
Dearfield was one of the most successful communities in the region. Often regarded as a celebrated advancement for black Americans, the town is memorialized with a stone plaque in Weld County. The plaque, which was erected in 2010, says that “Dearfield remains a symbol of Western pride and empowerment.”
— Jess Brovsky-Eaker