If you were intrigued by our dive into West Colfax's history as a center of Jewish pioneers in the early 20th century, you may care to stop by the Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Branch Library on Sunday.
At 2 p.m., the library will kick off a reception for a new permanent, interactive touch screen that aims to stand as a storytelling monument for the neighborhood's Jewish roots. It's open to the public and will include a quick presentation by Dr. Jeanne Abrams, the University of Denver's expert on the subject, whose work was featured in our recent story.
Judy Joseph, who recently ended a term as a Denver Public Library commissioner, said she's been thinking about something like this since the Gonzales branch opened in 2015.
In an ever-changing Denver, she said, it's important for the library to preserve history in a way that's accessible to Denverites, new and old.
"As time has passed, people moved away and history was being lost,” she said. The new screen, she continued, is meant to be "an appreciation of the community who lived there before and continues to today.”
The display features profiles of notable community members through the years, including Golda Meir, who grew up along West Colfax before becoming the prime minister of Israel in 1969.
While the event is open to everyone, Joseph says RSVPing to the event (by emailing [email protected]) would be appreciated so they can stock snacks accordingly.
