In 1998, Colorado state lawmakers mandated that American Indian history and culture be included in the curriculum of high schools in Colorado, based on the persistent efforts of Comanche State Senator Suzanne Williams. In 2003, they broadened the law mandating that in order to graduate students must satisfactorily complete a civil government course which includes the history, culture and social contributions of American Indians and other groups, Colorado Revised Statute § 22-1-104. Yet tens of thousands of students graduate each year in the state without taking the single course Colorado requires to earn a high-school diploma. It is simply not offered. This book on Colorado's American Indian leaders is intended to help Colorado fulfill this educational mandate.
