Remembering Gloria Tanner: Colorado’s first Black female state senator

DENVER – Gloria Travis Tanner, the first African American to serve on the state Senate and a member of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, passed away Tuesday, April 6. She was 86 years old.

“We join fellow Coloradans in mourning the loss of the great Gloria Tanner, Colorado’s first African American woman to serve as a State Senator, and the second to be elected to a leadership position in the Colorado House of Representatives,” Governor Polis wrote in a statement. “Former Senator Tanner’s undying love for her community is manifest in her mission to shape emerging leaders.”

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Tanner grew up in the midst of Jim Crow, just a few blocks down from Martin Luther King, Jr. In a 2018 profile from Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she studied political science, Tanner recalled finding inspiration from her mother, “My mother did a lot of work in the community, and I followed in her lead … Growing up in the South, where there were colored water fountains, there were bathrooms you couldn’t go to, and seeing all the nonsense things that were going on at that time, I think it made me want to try to make a difference.”

Tanner began her career in politics in 1976 as an executive assistant for Lt. Gov. George Brown, then the executive director of communications for state Sen. Regis Groff in 1978. In 1985, she won a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives, then in 1994, Tanner replaced Groff as the first female Black state senator. 

During her stint on the state legislature, Tanner sponsored landmark legislation such as marital discrimination in the workplace, worker’s compensation cost savings and civil rights for women and minorities in addition to passing Colorado’s safe haven law. 

A leader at heart, Tanner worked to bring more people of color into politics. In 2000 she established the Senator Gloria Tanner Leadership and Training Institute for Future Black Women Leaders of Colorado. She also co founded Washington, DC-based, National Organization of Black Elected Legislators (NOBEL) which “promotes the presence of Black women in government,” in addition to addressing the issues impacting the lives of all women. In 2002, she was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. 

Following the news of her passing, political figures in Colorado expressed sadness and gratitude for Tanner’s accomplishments and contributions on social media. 

“We all stand on the shoulders of giants,” Rep. Joe Neguse (D) wrote in a tweet. “Gloria Tanner was one of those giants.”

Rep. Leslie Herod (D), who was personally supported by Tanner, wrote in a statement, "Senator Tanner was a trailblazer whose determination and commitment to Colorado improved the lives of all people in our state, and I join Coloradans in mourning her passing. Gloria’s tireless devotion to serving our community uplifted the lives of so many Coloradans and families. Gloria was a mentor to us all."

Former Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll wrote in a tweet, “Gloria was a legend who paved a path for generation of black elected official in Colorado and beyond."