Bert A. Gallegos served in the Colorado state legislature from 1955 to 1963. He represented voters in Denver and was the sole Hispanic solon during most of his tenure.
Interesting, the number of Hispanic legislators was much greater during the New Deal period. Five served during the Roosevelt years: Herman J. Atencio (1933-1939), Alejandro M. Guerrero (1935-1937), Juan Noriega (1936-1940), Daniel Vigil (1941-1943), and Frank Lacombe (1943-1946).
The following portrait of Gallegos is reprinted from Colorado: Latin American Personalities, a wonderful little pamphlet published back in 1959.
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Bert A. Gallegos is a man with a purpose, and the zeal and courage to make his dream come true. He believes is civic and political responsibility for all persons, and especially for the Latin American community.
As a practicing attorney and a leading member of the Colorado House of Representatives, Gallegos has and is continuing to make a direct and valuable contribution to better the life of his group.
He came up from Pueblo, where he was born in 1924, and educated in elementary and high school, to attend Colorado University at Boulder on a scholarship. He won the scholarship for hard studying and top grades, one of many given each year by the State Education Department.
Gallegos early developed an intense liking for people, for the excitement and activity of social organizations. Becoming an inveterate joiner, he soon was a leader in many organizations.
Graduating from C.U. with a major in Economics, he decided that the law profession would be his career. Accordingly, he went back to C.U. to add a law degree to his honors, and again won a scholarship to help pay the tuition.
Since 1950, he has been a successful attorney and has served with distinction in the State Legislature. He has helped author and fight for legislation requiring fair employment practices, establishing the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Commission and widening its powers to halt bias in jobs, housing and in the courts.
“Members of the Latin Community ought to take a greater part in civic and political life. If we had better representation in all social activities—and I don’t mean just in politics—we could do so much more. Women need to join civic and welfare groups.” And he adds, almost wistfully:
“In many groups, I’m the only member representing the Latin community. There should be many more.”
And, truly, there should be many, many more like Bert A. Gallegos.
