Our History

The Stroud family story stretches back to the shores of West Africa, where their ancestors lived in vibrant communities with rich cultural traditions, before being torn away by the brutal Atlantic slave trade.

Forced across the ocean in the Middle Passage, these ancestors endured unimaginable suffering. Upon arrival in America, they were sold into slavery on Texas plantations, where they labored under the most oppressive conditions imaginable.

Yet even in bondage, the family preserved their spirit, their stories, and their unbreakable will to be free. It was on these Texas plantations that K.D. Stroud was born, the man who would eventually lead his family to freedom and a new life in Colorado.

The resilience forged during these generations of slavery became the foundation upon which every future Stroud achievement would be built.

The Stroud family heritage is uniquely shaped by the intersection of African and Native American histories. Through marriage and community, the family bloodline intertwined with Cherokee and other Native American nations.

The Trail of Tears, the forced relocation of Native American peoples from their ancestral homelands in the southeastern United States to territories west of the Mississippi, brought unspeakable suffering. Thousands perished on the journey.

For the Stroud family, this dual heritage of African slavery and Native American displacement created a unique cultural identity. They carried the traditions, stories, and spiritual practices of both peoples, creating something entirely new and powerful.

This blended heritage gave the Strouds a perspective that few American families possess — an understanding of oppression from two distinct yet parallel experiences, and a determination to overcome both.

In 1910, Reverend K.D. Stroud made the momentous decision to lead his family from Texas to Colorado Springs, Colorado. In the shadow of Pikes Peak, he saw a land of promise and opportunity, far from the worst of Jim Crow segregation.

The family quickly established themselves in their new home. K.D. built a church and became a spiritual leader in the community. His children would go on to achieve remarkable things: Dolphus became a 1928 Olympic hopeful and Phi Beta Kappa scholar, Effie became the first African/Native American Sachs Scholar at Colorado College.

The next generation continued to shatter barriers. Nina Stroud Pellerin became the first certified Black teacher in Colorado Springs in 1954. Jack Stroud joined the Apollo space program, helping put astronauts on the moon. Lu Lu Stroud Pollard served her community so faithfully that a park was named in her honor.

Today, the Stroud family impact on Colorado Springs is immeasurable. From education to business, from the arts to space exploration, their contributions have enriched the city and inspired generations of Americans.

As the Stroud family grew and prospered in Colorado, some branches looked further west. California, with its booming economy and cultural dynamism, beckoned a new generation of Stroud pioneers.

Joseph Stroud built a remarkable telecom empire on the West Coast, becoming one of the most successful African American businessmen of his era. His philanthropy touched countless lives and communities before his passing in 2024.

Carl Bourgeois made his mark in real estate development, earning recognition from The New York Times for his innovative projects that transformed communities and created economic opportunities.

The California chapter of the Stroud story demonstrates the family enduring pioneering spirit — the same courage that brought K.D. Stroud from Texas to Colorado drove his descendants to continue pushing westward, always seeking new frontiers to conquer.