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Boulder, Colo. January 28, 2026 — Dr. Charles and Mrs. Mildred Nilon, trailblazers in civil rights, the struggle for equal access to higher education, housing, and employment, and whose legacy helped shape both the City of Boulder and the University of Colorado Boulder, will be honored with a Toni Morrison Society Bench by the Road installation on February 16. The Museum of Boulder has been selected by the Toni Morrison Society as the site of the 35th Bench by the Road installation in the nation and the first in the State of Colorado, an honor that will be celebrated with a public installation and dedication ceremony at the Museum of Boulder.
The bench honoring Dr. Charles and Mrs. Mildred Nilon will be permanently installed in front of the Museum of Boulder at the corner of Broadway and Pine, creating a lasting place for reflection, remembrance, and community gathering. The program will include remarks from notable individuals whose lives and work were influenced by the Nilons, a choral musical offering, and a ceremonial ribbon-cutting of the bench.
Led by the Museum of Boulder, the installation is made possible through a key partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder, whose leadership and support were essential to bringing the project to fruition. The bench dedication takes place at a particularly meaningful moment as the University of Colorado marks 150 years since its founding, offering an opportunity to reflect on the individuals who helped broaden access, representation, and opportunity within the institution. This collaboration is part of the broader 150/250 commemoration, marking the University’s sesquicentennial alongside America’s 250th anniversary, and underscores a shared commitment to honoring legacy, advancing equity, and telling inclusive community stories.
“Being selected as the site for the first Bench by the Road in Colorado is a meaningful moment for our community and a lasting way to honor the Nilons’ legacy,” said Juliette León Bartsch, Director of Development and Marketing at the Museum of Boulder, who has served as the Project Lead. “We are deeply honored.”
“This bench installation embodies our mission to share inclusive community stories and inspire positive change,” said Christopher Taylor, Executive Director of the Museum of Boulder. “Dr. Charles and Mrs. Mildred Nilon’s legacy of leadership, representation, and tireless advocacy for justice continues to resonate today, reminding us of the power of courage and determination in the face of inequality.”
Event Details:
* Date: Monday, February 16, 2026
* Time: 4:00 – 6:00 PM (Program begins at 4:15 PM)
* Location: Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302
* This event is free to attend with an optional donation, and advance registration is required. Public registration is currently at capacity, and a waitlist is in place. Members of the media are encouraged to contact the Museum of Boulder in advance to arrange press access for the event.
* The link for the registration waitlist can be found HERE.
* Parking: City parking will be free for the Presidents’ Day holiday. Guests are encouraged to allow extra time to park and walk.
Honoring the Nilons’ Legacy:
Dr. Charles Nilon broke racial barriers in higher education when he was hired in 1956 as the first Black professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, becoming one of the earliest Black faculty members at a land-grant university. During his 30-year career, he founded one of the nation’s earliest Black Studies programs and recruited, mentored, and supported countless Black students and faculty. Dr. Nilon was also a leader in local and national civil rights efforts, including participation in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March as part of the Colorado delegation.
Mrs. Mildred Nilon, hired in 1962 as CU Boulder’s first Black librarian, was a pioneer in desegregating the field of library science. Alongside her husband, she was a tireless advocate for civil rights in Boulder, helping to lead community organizations that fought for equitable access to employment and affordable housing for Black people and women.
The Museum of Boulder was selected by the Toni Morrison Society to receive a Bench by the Road installation honoring Dr. Charles and Mrs. Mildred Nilon — pioneering educators and civic leaders whose enduring influence helped shape Boulder’s academic, cultural, and civic life. This installation marks the 35th Bench by the Road nationwide and the first in the state of Colorado, placing Boulder within a distinguished national landscape of remembrance and reflection.
The proposal for the Nilon Bench was initiated and submitted by Juliette León Bartsch, Director of Development and Marketing at the Museum of Boulder, who also worked extensively to build community collaboration and secure funding for the project. Through this effort, the University of Colorado Boulder emerged as a key partner, providing essential financial support that made the installation and related programming possible, with additional contributions from the City of Boulder and the Boulder Public Library.
“Because the Nilon family’s contributions are so deeply woven into Boulder’s history, I believed their legacy deserved lasting and visible recognition, which led me to submit the proposal to the Toni Morrison Society,” said Bartsch. “Their impact on education, equity, and civic life shaped generations, yet their story has too often lived quietly in the background. I was equally committed to ensuring this honor reflected a true community partnership. The University of Colorado Boulder’s leadership made this project a financial reality, and the support of the City of Boulder and the Boulder Public Library speaks to how widely the Nilons’ legacy is respected. Learning that Boulder had been selected — especially as the first Bench by the Road in Colorado — was profoundly meaningful. This bench creates a permanent place for reflection, dialogue, and gratitude, ensuring the Nilons’ legacy continues to inspire our community and beyond.”
Together, Charles and Mildred Nilon were beloved champions of justice whose work continues to inspire generations. The Bench by the Road in their honor serves as a lasting reminder of their impact and of the transformative power of education, leadership, and representation.
“My parents loved books, reading, and learning, and they shared that love with CU students in the classroom and in the library. They loved Boulder and CU and helped change both. And they were part of a black community that valued and supported their kids.” ~Charlie Nilon, PhD, Son and Retired Professor, Columbia, MO
Program Speakers:
Remarks will be offered by:
* Chancellor Justin Schwartz, University of Colorado Boulder
* Dr. Reiland Rabaka, Professor of African, African American, and Caribbean Studies
* Carolyn Denard, Chair, Toni Morrison Society
* Craig Stutman, Vice Chair, Toni Morrison Society
* Charlie Nilon, Son of Charles and Mildred Nilon
* Darryl Varnado, Community and Human Resources Leader
* Annett James, Community Advocate & Entrepreneur
* Dr. Tom Windham, Psychologist, Educator & Senior Advisor, SOARS (NCAR)
* Penfield Tate III, Attorney & Former Colorado State Senator
* Jaelyn Tate, Daughter of Mayor Penfield Tate II
* Dr. Bill King, Professor Emeritus of Afroamerican Studies, CU Boulder
* Christopher Taylor, Museum of Boulder
The program will also feature musical performances by ACE Gospel Choir: All Created Equal, and refreshments will be provided by Two Sistah’s Eats. The celebration also recognizes the Charles and Mildred Nilon Endowed Teacher Education Scholarship, established in their honor.
About the Bench by the Road Project:
The Bench by the Road Project is a memorial history and community outreach initiative of the Toni Morrison Society, launched on February 18, 2006, in honor of Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison’s 75th birthday. The project takes its name from Morrison’s 1989 reflections on the absence of public memorials acknowledging the lives and histories of enslaved Africans and their descendants – an absence she sought to address through her writing, particularly Beloved.
Since 2006, the Toni Morrison Society has placed 20 Benches by the Road at sites across the United States and internationally, including Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina; Walden Woods in Massachusetts; Paris, France; Fort-de-France, Martinique; and the Schomburg Center in Harlem, New York.
The Toni Morrison Society Bench by the Road honoring Dr. Charles and Mrs. Mildred Nilon was made possible through funding from the University of Colorado Boulder, Celebrating CU Boulder’s 150th Anniversary, and generous community support.
Bench Description:
The memorial bench is a black steel bench measuring six feet in length with a ribbed steel seat and powder-coated, weather-resistant frame. It includes a bronze naming plate mounted on the back of the bench and a bronze interpretive plaque installed nearby, describing the Bench by the Road Project and the Nilons’ significance.
Project Lead: Juliette León Bartsch
Planning Committee:
Hon. Gary Jackson, Annett James, Zan V. Johns, Dr. William M. King, Min. Glenda Strong Robinson, Darryl Varnado, Madelyn Strong Woodley, Dr. Thomas Windham (Honorary)
With support from:
Lori Call, Sarah Hallock Adderholt, Sawyer Bundgaard, Chancellor Justin Schwartz, and Emily Zinn
Register for this free event (optional donation):
Oral Histories:
Oral History Interview with Mildred (Nancy) Nilon
Oral History Interview with Charles Nilon
To donate in support of this project:
https://74285.blackbaudhosting.com/74285/Annual-Fund
About the Museum of Boulder:
Founded in 1944 as the Boulder Historical Society, the Museum of Boulder is an arts and cultural institution that showcases the remarkable accomplishments of Boulder through innovative exhibits, programs, and social engagement. Located on the corner of Pine and Broadway at 2205 Broadway, the institution serves as a private nonprofit holding over 44,000 objects in its collection of Boulder’s history. The Museum features the AASLH National award-winning gallery, The Boulder Experience, highlighting the area’s innovators, scientists, athletes, artists, natural foods, and high-tech interactives. The venue offers event spaces throughout the building and on its scenic view rooftop, making the Museum a unique community hub and resource venue.
Museum of Boulder Hours of Operation:
* Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
* Tuesday: CLOSED
* Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
* Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
* Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
* Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
* Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Museum of Boulder at Tebo Center
2205 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80302
303-449-3464
museumofboulder.org
THE MISSION OF THE MUSEUM OF BOULDER:
History happens here. The Museum of Boulder showcases inclusive community stories, preserves them for the future, and inspires all of us to effect positive change.
CURRENT EXHIBITS:
Boulder EATS! Food Traditions Along the Front Range | Main Gallery
Blazing Trail for 150 Years at CU Boulder | The Lodge
The Boulder Experience Gallery | National Award-Winning
Playzeum | Garden Level
Google Garage
MUSEUM OF BOULDER:
Website: museumofboulder.org
Connect: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
CONTACTS:
SAVANNAH SNODY
Communications Coordinator, Museum of Boulder
[email protected]
303.449.3464, x10
JULIETTE LEON BARTSCH
Director of Development & Marketing, Museum of Boulder
[email protected]
720-210-7920
EMILY ZINN
Director of Education, Museum of Boulder
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