# Nicki Gonzales

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Educator and first Latina Colorado State Historian

Nicki Gonzales Born Denver, Colorado Alma mater Yale University, University of Colorado Boulder Occupations Educator and historian Children Danny and Teddy

**Nicki Gonzales** is an educator and historian. She is an associate professor of history at [Regis University](/source/Regis_University), and was the Colorado State Historian in 2021-2022. She was the first Latino person in this role.

## Biography

Nicki Gonzales was born and raised in [Denver](/source/Denver), and her family comes from southern Colorado and northern [New Mexico](/source/New_Mexico).[1] Her family was part of the coal mining and agricultural communities in southern Colorado, until her grandparents moved to Denver for economic opportunity during [World War II](/source/World_War_II).[2] Her grandfather was an active union member in the meat packing industry.[3] She identifies as [Mexican-American](/source/Mexican_Americans) and Chicana.[4]

Gonzales graduated from [Yale University](/source/Yale_University) with a BA in English literature in 1992. She earned her PhD in American History from [University of Colorado Boulder](/source/University_of_Colorado_Boulder) in 1997.[2] While at CU Boulder, she was one of the researchers who built the case for the [Sangre de Cristo Land Grant](/source/Sangre_de_Cristo_Land_Grant) lawsuits. Additionally, she developed a research interest into Mexican-American and Chicano [Vietnam war veterans](/source/Vietnam_veteran), partly because her father was a [Marine](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps) during the war.[5]

Gonzales is a professor of history and vice provost for diversity and inclusion at Regis University.[6]

She is a member of the State Historian's Council.[6] She served as an advisor for several [History Colorado](/source/History_Colorado) exhibits, including *El Movimiento: The Chicano Movement in Colorado* and *Zoom In: The Centennial State in 100 Objects*.[7] She was appointed in 2020 by [Governor Jared Polis](/source/Jared_Polis) as vice chair of the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board.[6] She also served on [Mayor Michael Hancock](/source/Michael_Hancock_(Colorado_politician))'s advisory panel for renaming public landmarks.[8]

In 2021, she was named Colorado State Historian by the State Historian's Council.[6] One of her goals was to create "a more inclusive, broader history of our state."[1]

Gonzales was a major contributor to Denver's first Latino/Chicano Historic Context study.[9] Her research expertise is in Chicano history and Southwest social and political movements, including the experiences of Chicano/Latino Vietnam veterans.[1]

### Personal life

Gonzales has two sons, Danny and Teddy.

## Published works

- Gonzales, Nicki. “‘Yo Soy Loco Por Esa Sierra’: The History of Land Rights Activism in San Luis Colorado, 1863-2002.” Ph.D. dissertation, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2007.

## Recognition

- 2021, Trailblazer Award from Latinas First Foundation[10]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cooke_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cooke_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-cooke_1-2) Cooke, Kyle. ["New State Historian aims to share a more inclusive, broader history of Colorado Facebook shareTwitter shareEmail share"](https://www.rmpbs.org/blogs/news/dr-nicki-gonzales-new-colorado-state-historian/). *Rocky Mountain PBS*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-HWWC_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-HWWC_2-1) ["FULL CIRCLE - 2023 HWWC AWARDS BREAKFAST"](http://hispanicwomenofweldcounty.com/annual-awards-breakfast-1). *Hispanic Women of Weld County*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-palmisano_3-0)** Palmisano, Laura. ["The role of Latinos in Colorado labor history"](https://www.kdnk.org/rocky-mountain-community-radio/2022-09-05/the-role-of-latinos-in-colorado-labor-history). *KDNK Community Radio*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-hernandez_4-0)** Hernandez, Esteban. ["From Corky Gonzales to a home that sheltered gay Latino youth, a new landmark report catalogues Denver's deep Latino, Mexican-American and Chicano history"](https://denverite.com/2022/03/01/from-corky-gonzales-to-a-home-that-sheltered-gay-latino-youth-a-new-landmark-report-catalogues-denvers-deep-latino-mexican-american-and-chicano-history/). *Denverite*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-rinaldi_5-0)** Rinaldi, Ray mark (August 9, 2021). ["Nicki Gonzales is Colorado's new state historian. She's the first Latinx to hold the job. And that matters"](https://www.denverpost.com/2021/08/09/nicki-gonzales-colorado-state-historian/). Denver Post.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-eding_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-eding_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-eding_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-eding_6-3) Eding, John. ["Dr. Nicki Gonzales Is Colorado's New State Historian, First Latina to Hold the Role"](https://www.historycolorado.org/press-release/2021/07/20/dr-nicki-gonzales-colorados-new-state-historian-first-latina-hold-role). *History Colorado*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bio_7-0)** ["Nicki Gonzales"](https://www.historycolorado.org/person/gonzales-nicki). *History Colorado*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-simpson_8-0)** Simpson, Kevin. ["For the first time, Colorado has a Latina state historian. Here's what Nicki Gonzales hopes to accomplish"](https://coloradosun.com/2021/07/27/colorado-state-historian-nicki-gonzales/). *Colorado Sun*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Nuestras Historias: Mexican American/Chicano/Latino Histories in Denver"](https://www.denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/2/community-planning-and-development/documents/landmark-preservation/historic-context/nuestrashistoriascontext_en.pdf) (PDF). *City of Denver*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Honorees"](https://latinasfirst.org/pages/honorees). *Latinas First Foundation*.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nicki Gonzales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicki_Gonzales) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicki_Gonzales?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.