(soft instrumental music) - [Narrator] Traveling across the wide open expanses of Wyoming, it's easy to see why it's called the Cowboy State.

The distinctive bucking bronc and rider are everywhere from the state's license plate, the field at War Memorial Stadium, to the US Mint's commemorative quarter.

That quarter also reads "The Equality State" and serves as the official state nickname, echoing the state motto of equal rights.

Every third Monday of January, Wyoming celebrates its heritage as the first state to grant women the right to vote in 1869.

For many, the third Monday in January is observed for another very significant reason, honoring the birth of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Former state legislator Liz Byrd said this day signified a personal struggle embodied in the symbolism of the day itself.

(dramatic western music) (soft whoosh) Harriet Elizabeth Rhone was born April 20th, 1926 in Cheyenne.

Her Wyoming heritage dates to territorial days when newly freed black slaves looked to the Western frontier for work and a new life.

- Most of the African Americans here came with the railroad or buffalo soldiers.

We had a lot of pioneer settlers that came to Wyoming but didn't stay.

Now, my grandfather, he witnessed statehood in 1890.

He was told as a young boy that if he went to school and got an education, that people who were educated could succeed.

So he really believed that, he and his brother both.

So of course, they would to school and they became educated.

My dad used to read to me, and my favorite story was "The Little Red Hen."

So every night, I would always ask for "The Little Red Hen," and one night he said, "Don't you know another story?"

And I said, "I like that one the best."

So when I went into 1st grade, I took my book with me, and so I told Miss Warren, I said, "I can read."

And she said, "I didn't know that, Elizabeth."

And so I said, "Well, if you would let me read my book to the class, I'll show ya."

I took my book.

I was so excited, and so she stood behind me very patiently.

And so then when I finished, the children just clapped.

They thought I was really the greatest, and I thought I was, too.

So then she took the book and turned it upright because all the time it had been upside down.

And she said, "Elizabeth," she said, "you did such a marvelous job."

She said, "But if you hold it this way and look at the pictures and the words this way," she said, "you can even do a better job the next time."

And you know what?

Because she was so kind and didn't tell, I said, "You know, she's really great."

And that was the day that I decided I was gonna be a teacher just like Mrs. Warren.

When I graduated in 1944, I went over to the University of Wyoming to register and just knowing that I wanted to be a teacher.

I had no problem with getting my classes.

But when it came down to housing, oh, they would be very happy to find me a place to stay.

I was really surprised about the University of Wyoming.

My whole family, they were really quite surprised.

I felt very crushed about that, so I went down here to Greeley.

Did you know they had the same kind of policy for African Americans or minorities at Greeley State Teacher's College, too?

So my dad was working for Union Pacific Railroad, and I said to my dad, "Can you get me a pass to go on the railroad to any school in the United States to America?"

He said, "Yes, I can."

So I took all 48 States and put 'em in a jar except for Wyoming and Colorado.

I shook the jar up, and out came West Virginia.

I get this real nice letter from West Virginia State College.

So when I got down there, everybody was telling everybody, "You've got a student from Wyoming."

Everybody wanted to see the girl from Wyoming.

Not only that, I wore my Western jacket down there, too, so they would really know that I was from Wyoming.

That's the first time I had ever been around that many black children in my life.

And I said, "Oh Lord, thank you for letting me come to West Virginia State College."

I said, "I really think I'm in heaven."

Because I had been with these students and they had been so nice to me and everything, I enjoyed my four years down there very much.

When I graduated from West Virginia State College, I came home.

I went over to the administration building here in Cheyenne.

With this certificate and everything, I'll just go over there and show I'm in the school district, and boy, I'll get me a job just like that.

But that didn't happen.

It just did not happen.

And they had their own personal policy in the Department of Education.

They had no African-American teachers.

I won't let this defeat me.

They had jobs out at Warren Air Force Base.

I was to work in service dock B.

While I was working over there, they called me and asked me would I like to try out for instructor training over in the schools?

I was so happy, I want you to know, of being in that school.

Now I was a permanent GS-7, a regular classroom instructor and everything.

Those years were really my very best.

I really got to know myself.

I was proud to have the job.

10 years later, I go back to public school.

They still aren't ready for an African-American teacher in the public school here.

Governor Hickey was the governor at that time, and so I went over to see the governor.

He said, "Do you really wanna teach?"

And I said, "Yes."

He said, "You'll have a job."

- [Narrator] Liz was hired in 1949 as the first fully certified African-American teacher in Wyoming.

She would spend the next 27 years teaching in Laramie County District Number 1.

She also had time to earn a Master's degree from the college that it turned her away so many years earlier, the University of Wyoming.

- My dad was very close with all of us.

So one day he said to me, "Do you know, Elizabeth?"

He said, "Why don't you run for the legislature?"

And I was really taken off my feet.

I said, "Well, Dad," I said, "I really don't know that much about politics."

"I want you to go out and put your name in," and I did.

So in the meantime, while I was running for the primary, they found out my dad had cancer.

I did so well in the primary.

I said, "How did my dad know that I could do that?"

Well, he went into the hospital, and he died between the primary and the general election.

So I said, "I really owe it to my dad."

So I really got out and worked for the general.

I said, "He rides on my shoulder everyday," and he does for the rest of my life.

And so I was very successful for all of those years because my dad was always with me.

- [Narrator] Liz Byrd became the first African-American woman to serve in Wyoming's legislature.

After four terms in the House, she went on to become the first black woman elected to the Wyoming Senate, serving two terms.

- I think everyone, everyone in the whole world should learn to live with each other.

You see, for awhile, prejudice and segregation, most of my life, I had experienced that.

And I remember the first time that I went to Washington, DC, I could not drink at the same fountain in the United States Capitol.

- [Narrator] Mrs. Byrd's time in the state legislature was devoted to furthering the advancement of education and children's issues.

But our most notable achievement came with the passage of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

- That was the greatest challenge, and I think it was a challenge for many of the legislators because after so long, they said, "Are you gonna bring that bill back?"

I kept saying, "Yes, I am," and I did.

- [Narrator] In 1991, Wyoming joined the majority of other States in America in recognizing the holiday, Equality Day, which was signed into law by Governor Mike Sullivan.

- [Elizabeth] I never met Dr. Martin Luther King, but I was hoping that all of us, every individual could live together, be honest with each other, be fair with each other.

And see, fairness and honesty are the things that make the world go around, and have respect for one another.

And you see, if people would learn to do that, and if everyone from every country would learn to do that, we would no longer have wars.

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