NAACP Aurora, Colorado Branch History

Aurora, Colorado’s NAACP Branch History

Dr. Barbara Shannon-Banister was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and lived her adolescent days in Casper, Wyoming and then her mature days in Aurora, Colorado. Dr. Barbara Shannon-Banister has always been engaged in civil rights. Her father Edward Shannon, was a precinct committee person in New Orleans and would teach Negroes how to read the Preamble of the Constitution. The reading and understanding of the Preamble of the Constitution was important so people couldn’t be tricked when they went to register to become voters. Edward Shannon received his NAACP Life Membership in New Orleans and following the path of her father, Dr. Shannon-Banister also became a NAACP Life Member.

Dr. Barbara Shannon-Banister later married and moved to Casper, Wyoming where she was instrumental in forming the NAACP Wyoming Chapter. During this time members would participate in the Colorado and Wyoming State Convention. Members would frequently travel from Casper (early morning) in order to arrive in Denver, Colorado for the state conventions.

Denver had three (3) branches at the time. Ms. Helen Douglas was the president of one of the branches and Mr. Lawrence Lewis was the president of the other branch, the third president’s name is unknown. Dr. Barbara Shannon-Banister recalls somewhere down the line there was some controversy in the Denver area regarding one of the colleges, so the person from the NAACP National office who was in charge of the Colorado and Wyoming State Conference was sent to Colorado to have a hearing. Shortly, after this incident the Aurora branch was founded. Mr. Harold Washington was instrumental in getting the information to National for Aurora to have a branch. Dr. Barbara Shannon-Banister is still in contact with the board members today who assisted in the process for helping with the NAACP Aurora Colorado becoming a branch.

Dr. Shannon-Banister recognized the need of an Aurora Branch because Aurora was becoming one of the fastest growing cities in Colorado. This allowed Aurora residents to have a branch that would advocate on behalf of their civil rights. It also gave credibility to branch members when engaging Aurora City Council. Aurora City Council wants to address Aurora businesses, and residents. City Council wants to know that the person speaking is a citizen from Aurora, CO. Therefore, Dr. Barbara Shannon-Banister wanted to make sure that the NAACP had a “stance” when going before the council on behalf of the citizens of Aurora.

To this day we are proud of the tremendous contribution that Dr. Barbara Shannon-Banister has made to the NAACP Aurora Branch and the community.