Paul Stewart

Paul Wilbur Stewart, Sr. was born on December 18, 1925, in Clinton, Iowa, the son of Martha and Eugene Stewart. The Stewarts were one of the few black families in this predominantly white area, and also one of the few who had a thriving business during that time. Eugene was in the trucking business and owned his own company. As a child, growing up in the 1930's, Paul enjoyed playing cowboys and Indians. However, he always had to be one of the Indians, because his white playmates insisted, "There's no such thing as a black cowboy!" It was not until the early 1960's that Stewart would learn differently. Paul joined the Navy after high school, attaining the rank of Seaman First Class. When he returned from the service, he moved to Evanston, Illinois, along with his brother Eugene. There, Paul worked as a mail sorter in the post office and took evening classes at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Later, he dropped out of school to help his brother with his college expenses. Paul then trained to be a barber, earning a certificate from Moler Barber College in 1947. For more than a decade, Paul earned his living as a barber in Illinois, Wisconsin, New York and eventually Colorado. In the early 1960s, Paul traveled to Denver to visit his cousin Earl Mann, the first black Legislator of Colorado. This visit would change the course of his life. One day while they were sight-seeing, Paul noticed a black man dressed as a cowboy. "He was wearing full cowboy regalia—boots, chaps, gun belt, spurs, cowboy hat—I mean everything. I said to my cousin, 'Look at that drugstore cowboy. Who's he trying to fool? Everybody knows there are no black cowboys,'" recalled Paul. Paul's cousin explained that the man was a well-known local rancher—and in fact, black cowboys were no rarity in Colorado. Paul suddenly realized that black people had been left out of the history books of the West, and he set out to correct this omission. Paul dedicated himself to finding out everything he could about black cowboys so that other children would not be taught the incomplete history that he had learned. Paul then moved to Denver and opened a barbershop, which would be the site of his initial research on African Americans in the West. As he cut black men's hair, Paul would ask if they knew or had heard about any black pioneers. A surprising number of them had. At that point, he set out to obtain proof. He sent his children, ages four and seven, to the Ford-Warren Library, to scour through the census, which, in fact, taught them how to read. As he reviewed the findings he told his patrons what he had discovered. They in turn, would let him know about their relatives, and he arranged interviews. Frequently, they would give him photographs and artifacts, which began the foundation of the museum. He began to travel over the western United States, collecting artifacts and conducting interviews. As the news spread that he was interested in black Western history, people began to drop by the barbershop, bringing artifacts that had been passed down to them—cowboy boots, miner's helmets, photographs, etc. Stewart initially displayed these items in his shop, until it became so crowded that he decided to look for a permanent exhibition space. In 1971, Paul moved all his collections to a room offered by Denver's Clayton College, where they remained for almost ten years. What the museum lacked, however, was a prominent location; visitors often wandered the campus unable to find it. Paul's knowledge was so vast he began to be invited all over the country to lecture about black western history at schools, libraries, churches and universities. He also shared his wisdom on Good Morning America and the Today Show on several occasions. He began wearing his trademark cowboy hat and attire. In the late 1970's Paul began working with the Denver Public Schools. He taught kindergarteners to 12th graders from his pool of knowledge which was excluded from the normal curriculum. He brought artifacts and shared stories with the kids and also taught them the infamous cowboy handshake, which become his trademark. Every person he met or was introduced to was greeted with a huge smile and learned the handshake as well. In the mid-nineteen eighty's, the museum was relocated to a larger, more accessible site in Denver's Five Points. In the early 1990's, the collection was moved again to its current location, 3091 California Street in the Five Points area. This was also the home of the first African-American female physician in Colorado, Justina Ford. In 1987, he went on to marry Johnnie Mae "J'Mae" Stewart, and who was by his side until his very last breath, along with several of his family who held him and were able to see him smile at the very end. Over the years, Paul received numerous awards and accolades from many prestigious organizations including the Smithsonian. He also received a Proclamation of Paul Stewart's Day on his 89th birthday, December 18, 2014, by the Governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper and the Mayor of Denver, Michael Hancock. Paul was an avid Christian, and his devotion to Jesus was steadfast. He was a member of Shorter AME from 1963 to 1986, and he was also a member of Rising Star Missionary Baptist for five years. As his health began to fail, he was no longer able to do the things, which he so dearly loved, uplifting Christ at church, teaching history in his captivating style, watching sports and dancing, which he did every New Year Eve with his current wife, J'Mae. He was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Martha Stewart; three brothers, James, Eugene Jr. and Richard Stewart; and one sister, Elizabeth Stewart. His infectious smile, strong presence in the community and of course, his "cowboy handshake" will be sorely missed. He now walks with God, which was his last wish. Paul Wilbur Stewart, Sr. departed this life to the embrace of the Lord on November 12, 2015, in Denver, Colorado. Those left to cherish his memory and mourn his loss include his loving and devoted wife, Johnnie Mae Stewart of Aurora; four sons, Paul W. Stewart, Jr. of Chicago, IL, Mark Q. Stewart, Earl J. Stewart both of Denver and Edward LaVan Davis of Los Angeles, CA; three daughters, Leticia Stewart of Dallas, TX, Tracy L. Stewart and Linda (Kevin) Reynolds all of Denver; his niece Rochelle (Willie) Christian of Chicago, IL; seven grandchildren, who affectionately called him, "Pawpaw," Shamar Iverson, Phatima Bowens, Chasrita Carson, Kamille Reynolds, Chad and Zain Smith, Chelsea Stewart-McGhee, and Deven Stewart; six great-grandchildren (in birth order): Zayvion Carson, Suriyah Carson, Samya Carson Jayla Bowen, Malahnie Reynolds Jones and Nia Bowen and a host of cousins other relatives and many friends. Praise God! Thank You Jesus, Paul is Home.

Funeral Home: Pipkin Braswell Funerals and Cremation - 2050 Uinta Street, Denver, Colorado
Visitation: 11/18/2015 at 4:00 PM - Pipkin Braswell Chapel of Peace - 6601 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO
Service: 11/19/2015 at 10:30 AM - New Life Community Church - 17690 East Iliff Avenue Aurora, CO
Cemetery: 11/19/2015 at 1:30 PM - Fort Logan National Cemetery - 4400 W. Kenyon Ave., Denver, CO