First African American Woman Senator
Gloria Travis Tanner began her career at the Department of the Interior from 1967 to 1972 and later served in the office of Lieutenant Governor George Brown. Tanner served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1985 until 1994, when she was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Senate. She then served in the Senate from 1994 to 2000. From 1987 to 1990 she served as the House Minority Caucus Leader.
Senator Tanner was the first African American woman to serve as a Colorado State Senator. She initiated and sponsored legislation on issues such as marital discrimination in the workplace, parental responsibility, worker’s compensation cost savings, civil rights for women and minorities, and parental rights for adoptive parents.
Even in retirement, Senator Tanner continues to lead. In 2001 she established the Senator Gloria Tanner Leadership and Training Institute for Future Black Women Leaders of Colorado.
More information about Gloria Travis Tanner:
Colorado General Assembly Biographical Information
Note: The information on this page is made available through the generosity of the Colorado Legislative Women’s Caucus, which has asked us to preserve, maintain and promote information they gathered.
