Stroud Family Colorado
From Out of Africa to the Trail of Tears and the Colorado Migration
The Stroud Family Colorado website chronicles the inspiring and historic African- and Native- American achievements of the pioneering Stroud family.
I’m Frank Shines, descendant of Kimbal Dolphus (K.D.) and Lulu Magee Stroud. My grandfather was Tandy Stroud (son of Kimbal and Lulu) and my great uncle was Dolphus Stroud, Phi Bet Kappa 1928 Olympic hopeful.
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Stroud Family Embraces AI
Frank Shines and the crew of the upcoming family documentary film, “Running to Harvard,” are using AI to restore images and awaken history. The team (Producer: Frank Shines-Stroud Executive Director: Ralph-Michael Giordano, Assistant Director: Mike Pach Cinematographer: Kyle Hanchett) has also created an interactive AI-powered Stroud Family Chatbot that can answer any of your questions about the Stroud family. In the 1890s, Rev. K.D. and his wife Lulu used education as the technology of the times to secure a future for their children. Now two, three, four generations into the future Stroud descendants know that AI is fast becoming the game-changer for the Underdog that embraces this new technology.
Running to Harvard
2024 Stroud Family Documentary
A Man, a Family and a Colorado ‘Olympic City’ that Dared to Dream
Running to Harvard chronicles the untold, true Olympic story of Dolphus and Tandy Stroud, two scholar-athletes whose father (K.D.) was born and raised on a Texas plantation, and the legacy of a pioneering family’s impact on a city and a nation. Also, Bobby Stroud Bourgeois-Nelson, Nina Stroud Pellerin, Lulu Stroud Pollard, Jack Stroud and the other siblings are featured.
The documentary team includes: Producer: Frank Shines-Stroud, Executive Director: Ralph-Michael Giordano, Assistant Director: Mike Pach, Cinematographer: Kyle Hanchette. Interviews include: Colorado College, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, Sachs Foundation, Juanita (Stroud) Martin, Nicole Stewart, Percy Pellerin, Frank Shines and others.
Stroud Leadership Academy Coaches Underserved
The Stroud Leadership Academy‘s vision is: Imagine a world where everyone had an equal place at the starting line.
The mission of the Stroud Leadership Academy (SLA) is to develop leaders of character with critical thinking, problem-solving and digital literacy skills, a passion for lifelong learning and an understanding of the psychology of change.
SLA is a Stroud family community outreach and IBOC give-back initiative in support of RACE the Opera. SLA will support and assist with fundraising for the opera, training underserved communities and producing and distributing an upcoming Stroud family documentary, to be produced by TV actor and producer Tim Reid and distributed on LG|CY TV, Legacy of a People.
Upcoming 2024 Documentary Running to Harvard
A Man, a Family and a Colorado Community that Dared to Dream
This 2024 documentary, Running to Harvard, chronicles the untold, true Olympic story of Dolphus and Tandy Stroud, two scholar-athlete brothers whose father was born and raised on a Texas plantation, and the legacy of a pioneering family’s impact on a nation.
Joseph Gray, HOKA & Sachs Foundation Pay Tribute to Dolphus Stroud
Colorado Springs resident, Joseph Gray, is a 7-Time USA Mountain Runner of The Year and a member of the Colorado Running Hall of Fame. In collaboration with his running shoe sponsor, HOKA, and the Sachs Foundation, Gray paid tribute to Dolphus Stroud, with whom he shared many parallels. “My desire to inspire the next generation of young Black athletes to try distance running, outdoor sports and mountain running led me to the story of Kelley Dolphus Stroud,” wrote Gray.
2022-2023 Calendar
For 2022, there are several upcoming events:
Jul 2, 2022: RACE the Opera Performance Workshop w/ IBOC, 2pm local time at Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (Stroud family history through Dolphus’ Olympic journey)
Jul 3, 2022. Independence Day Celebration Garden Party & Community Gathering at Carl’s in Colorado Springs, starting at 3pm local time
Aug 29, 2022. Inauguration of L. Song Richardson, President of Colorado College, 8:30am local time at the Fine Arts Center
Sep 2022. Virtual Family Reunion
Sep 22-25, 2022: United States Air Force Academy Class Reunion for Frank Shines (grandson of Tandy Stroud)
Spring 2023: Opening of Bobbie Stroud Music & Art Pavilion
Dolphus Unveiling
On December 14, 2021, Colorado College and Saunders Norwood Construction recognized 1928 Olympic hopeful Kelley Dolphus Stroud and the Stroud family during an unveiling at the recently opened Ed Robson Arena.
In the words of Colorado College (CC), the purpose of the event: “The honoring of a family’s legacy — and its lineage of perseverance — is enshrined in the Kelley Dolphus Stroud ’31 Club Level on the fourth floor of CC’s Ed Robson Arena.”
RACE, the Opera
The Stroud family is working in collaboration with IBOC, Colorado College and the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum on a next generation opera.
RACE, the opera, features Stroud siblings Tandy, Effie, Jack and others as it…
“…CHRONICLES THE JOURNEY OF DOLPHUS STROUD BLAZING A PATH FOR BLACK ATHLETES AND SCHOLARS FROM COLORADO SPRINGS TO BOSTON.” Dolphus shoes image courtesy of C-Springs Pioneers Museum (CSPM.org)
Stroud Scholars Program
The Colorado College Stroud Scholars has impacted the lives of 40 students in its first two years. Jim Burke leads the college preparatory program which was named in honor of siblings Effie and Dolphus Stroud.
A few months before the outbreak of the pandemic, the president of Colorado College invited several of us Stroud family descendants to the college to formally announce the Stroud Scholars program Two cohorts of about 20 students each have graduated from the program. We look forward to 25 more students in 2023.
Dolphus, Effie Stroud Honored at Robson Arena
The Stroud family has been invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Colorado College Hockey team’s new Ed Robson Arena Saturday Sep 18, 2021 in Colorado Springs. A floor will be dedicated to Effie and Dolphus Stroud, first African- / Native- Americans to earn Sachs Scholarships and graduate with the highest academic honors at Colorado College. The CC Stroud Scholars is named in their honor.
Colorado’s KOAA News: Dolphus Stroud’s 1928 Olympic Dream
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics reminds us of the importance of the spirit of the Olympics. KOAA Channel 5 News Reporter, Renae Skinner, tells the story of Dolphus Stroud. and his remarkable story in pursuit of his 1928 Olympic Dream.
In concert with the International Brazilian Opera, daughters of Dolphus (Juanita Martin and Connie Loury) are collaborating with Frank (Stroud) Shines on Race, the Opera based on the true life stories of brothers Dolphus and Tandy Stroud.
Stroud Family Recognized in 150 Years of Colorado Springs
As part of the 150-year anniversary of Colorado Springs, the Stroud family will be recognized in a series of commemorative events, exhibits and the historic Then and Now book; this due the family’s many contributions to the city upon their arrival in 1910.
Stroud Family History & DNA
Stroud family historical archives, family stories and congressional hearings are validated by DNA analysis. Researchers, led by Max Planck Institute geneticist Cosimo Posth, reported their ground-breaking findings on human migration in a famous DNA study which was published in the journal Cell. Nina Stroud Pellerin captures history in video series.