“Bee” Harris – Persevering Publisher

Celebrating Black History…

“Connection” is the buzzword of the 2020s, but for Rosalind “Bee” Harris, it’s her modus operandi. As publisher of the glossy free monthly magazine, Denver Urban Spectrum since 1987, Harris and her team of dedicated journalists and producers help the community stay connected by shining a light on people of color right here in Colorado.

Denver Urban Spectrum covers have become collector’s items. The articles are reference material. Her interview subjects are local, national and international treasures, the heroes and sheroes of our past and of our present.  The displays offer essential calendar events.  The copy contains vital contact information.

This month’s annual Black History edition includes 14 “African-Americans Who Make a Difference,” drawn from 40-plus nominations from the community. That’s Black History in the making.

Her Urban Spectrum Youth Foundation, now 20 years running was recognized by the Colorado Association of Black Journalists for developing writing and research talent among at-risk middle and high school students. In January 2020, MSU-Denver honored Harris with an MLK Peace Award.  That same year she was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.

Bee Harris’s extraordinary life and oral history are archived at The HistoryMakers.

Bee Harris has found a way to chronicle what’s happening, and at the same time, make things happen. Fortunately for Colorado, she’s been at the intersection of Colorado’s diverse communities, reminding us all of the Centennial State’s many many-splendored hues.