Colorado Parks & Wildlife Research Library

Chronicles the life of the woman called Aunt Clara Brown, who was born into slavery and became a pioneer and entrepreneur, earning money to bring other former slaves to a new start in Colorado.

"Clara Brown was born a slave in Virginia around 1800.She endured separation and loss as her husband and children were sold away. In 1856, the slave owner died and Clara was granted freedom papers. In 1859, Clara earned her passage west to Colorado by cooking and doing laundry for the wagon train. She worked first as a cook in Denver and then started a successful laundry business in Central City. As she gained financial security, Clara began to search...