Denver Kids in the 1960s

Prioritizing Equity at Denver Kids

For 80 years, Denver Kids has walked alongside tens of thousands of students, through opportunities and challenges that varied dramatically for each cohort and each generation. In honor of our anniversary, we're sharing stories and highlights from each decade of our history. Click here to check out the highlights we've already shared.

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During the 1960s, Denver Kids, then named Denver Boys, evolved within the context of a rising U.S. sentiment in favor of civil rights equality for all Americans.

The 1896 Supreme Court Case, Plessy v. Ferguson, set a precedent in the U.S. for a "separate but equal" structure of society, where spaces were divided upon racial lines. However, spaces were not equally maintained, funded, or provided resources, leading to unequal opportunities and disenfranchisement for people of color, and particularly Black Americans.

This state-sanctioned segregation existed in schools through 1954, when Brown v. the Board of Education overturned Plessy, ruling that segregation in a school setting was not legal. But, change does not happen overnight. There would still be another 12 years of the Civil Rights Movement, where people had to fight for equality in all spaces. Decades of redlining, unequal school zoning, and underfunding communities of color left a lasting effect. Generational wealth gaps, covert segregation tactics, and health inequities as a result of these policies would continue to affect families for decades to come.

With the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, Denver Public Schools saw student drop out rates skyrocket, particularly with students of color. Schools were underfunded and overcrowded, and many students felt a responsibility to provide for their families.

Denver Boys once again responded to the needs of the time, continuing to provide new avenues for students to find success in an effort to combat dropout rates.

One such opportunity was through having a sponsor. During this decade, Denver Boys increased the number of Rotary Club of Denver members "sponsoring" a Denver Boys student. This was the foundation for our mentorship program, still a core tenant of our programming today.

Sponsors focused on fostering the needs of the whole child. Activities included sports games, camping trips, or creating spaces for hobbies such as woodworking.

During a Denver Rotary meeting in December of 1965, Denver Boys Sponsor, Bob Brown, shared his experience. A newspaper clipping recounting the meeting stated that as Bob, "related his own experience as a sponsor, he gave particular emphasis to the relationship which develops between boy and man often does as much for the man as for the boy."

Bob's experience parallels that of many of our current Denver Kids Volunteer Mentors. Volunteer Mentor Rene recently shared, "Mentoring has been one of the best experiences because it truly adds perspective every time that I am with my mentee. I have learned so much, become more selfless, and have even found more self worth through the work of mentoring!"

Though our programming looks different today than it did in the 1960s, the impact our Mentoring Program has on adults and students alike remains the same.

Towards the end of this decade, Denver Boys had proven successful for thousands of boys. However, with the overwhelming dropout rates and omnipresent drought of resources available for students, Denver Boys realized it was missing a large opportunity to serve even more students. So, in 1968, an initiative began to create programming that would support girls.

Stay tuned to learn more about the founding of Denver Girls in 1970 and how the 1960s laid the foundation for a commitment to equity and equality for all DPS students, a value Denver Kids upholds today.

Be on the lookout each month as we highlight success stories of each decade!

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‍Interested in learning more about Denver Kids history? Check out previous decade highlights at DenverKids.org/News, or find our 80 year timeline here: DenverKids.Org/80Years.