Hi, my name is John-Claude Futrell and I am the eldest grandson of John and Edna Mosley. 

In the spirit of social justice movements and the push for equity in this country, the process of changing neighborhood names, removing statues of oppression and abolishing the Confederate Flag at public sporting events, are all important first steps towards reconciliation. 

The Stapleton Neighborhood in Denver and Aurora is currently in the conversation for such a name change due to Tay Anderson's public call for action and steps have already been taken forward. 

We recognize the change leaders from BLM5280 and Brooke Lee for taking on this fight back in 2015. Their hard work has paid off. But there is still more work to be done! 

We applaud the steps taken by the Stapleton Master Community Association and Stapleton United Neighbors and are recommending the name Mosley and/or Mosley Park as possible names. 

Andrew Reed first started this conversation in the Stapleton United Neighbors Community on Facebook and we want to continue the conversation. 

Why the name Mosley?

John and Edna Mosley were Civil Rights Activists who broke the housing barrier in Denver and Aurora by being the first family of color to purchase a home in Aurora. They actively fought the practice of redlining by moving their family and paving the way for others. Now Aurora is 15.96% black with a population of an estimated 58,020 African Americans.

Naming a place after African American heroes is a small step towards reconciliation and understanding. It's a small gesture with big rewards.

USAF/Aviator Legacy

Not only did John W. Mosley serve in the USAF honorably before retiring, but so did two of his sons, John Gregory and Eric. Captain Eric Mosley still flies as a senior pilot with United Airlines. And that's not all! Eric's sons Kyle and Patrick were both commissioned as Second Lieutenants in 2018. Their eldest daughter, Edna Lorette Futrell spent 47 years as a Flight Attendant for United Airlines. William Futrell, (grandson) is also a pilot who flies supplies to remote towns in Alaska; Captain Jeff Baptist (great grandson) is a Class of 2013 USAF Academy graduate and currently stationed at Cannon AFB. 

A name we can stand for

The Mosley name is respected in both Denver and Aurora for the efforts made to bring equality for all residents. John and Edna dedicated themselves to public service and their efforts improved the lives of all those who call Denver and Aurora home. 

 Edna was elected to the Aurora City Council in 1991 and spent 12 years in her At-Large seat. During her time she was the chair of the Transportation Committee, a member of Planning and Development, and the Transportation and Airport Committees.

It’s well known that John W. Mosley was a Tuskegee Airman, serving his country in WWII and contributing to the allies victory, but he also assisted in drafting the initial policies relating to the integration of the new U.S. Air Force as ordered by President Harry S. Truman. His honorable service is only amplified by his pursuit of justice in the skies and below. Stapleton, as it once was an airport, couldn't be more deserving of the Mosley name.

John W. Mosley

Born June 21, 1921 in Denver, Colorado, John William Mosley was the son of a Cripple Creek silver rush settler. He spent his early educational career at Whittier Elementary School, Cole Junior High School, and Manual Training High School. While attending Manual, he played football and wrestled. He was also the valedictorian, and earned the National Merit Scholarship.

When John Mosley enrolled at Colorado State University in 1939, he managed to cover his first year of tuition with an academic scholarship. But as an African American, he faced many obstacles – he was barred from living in college residence halls, encountered racism and bigotry on campus and was denied service at local restaurants. Despite those limitations, he made the CSU football team as a walk-on candidate, the first black student to ever play there or in the Big Seven. After graduation he battled discrimination in the military, too, although he would eventually become one of the earliest black pilots in World War II as a Tuskegee Airman.

Breaking the Color Barrier

John W. Mosley graduated from Manual High School in Denver as a National Merit Scholar, and enrolled at the Agricultural College of Colorado (now Colorado State University) in 1939. The college at that time had only eight other African American students all of whom were not allowed to live on campus. While at CSU, Mosley wanted to try out for a sport, football in particular. Mosley joined the football team under coach Harry W. Hughes in 1940 and he became the first African American to join the football team at Colorado State University. He faced a lot of discrimination by the white players on the team who did not want him there. For example, while trying out some players purposefully hit him very hard to discourage him from joining the team. He did however win several players over and made two very good friends in Dude Dent and Woody Fries. In the same year, Mosley expressed an interest in wrestling and also joined the wrestling team under coach Julius Wagner. By joining the team he became the first African American wrestler at Colorado State University. He became the first African American to earn an athletic letter in Colorado State University football team history. He also broke the color barriers off the field when he was elected class vice president in both of his junior and senior years.

The Tuskegee Airmen

Mosley had dreams of being a pilot, and he paid for his own flight lessons and flight physical. He had a physical in Denver and was told he had a heart murmur. This he believed to be false. In 1941, an all Black fighter squadron was formed at Tuskegee Field, Alabama. Mosley wanted to join them after he graduated. But instead he was drafted into a segregated Army Artillery unit stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and not the flying squadron at Tuskegee. This is all despite Mosley having his private pilot's license.   While at Fort Sill, he, his family, and community leaders wrote letters to Congress asking that he be reassigned to Tuskegee. Eventually, these letters did lead to his reassignment. He trained as a bomber pilot, one of the first African Americans to do so. During his training Mosley found it necessary to hide his experience from his white instructors. He served with distinction in World War II and earned his Command Pilot Wings. Directly after World War II, Mosley worked with the Truman administration to draft the policies that would fully integrate the United States Armed Forces. Mosley served with distinction during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired from the Air Force in 1970 attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Civil Rights Era

Mosley was a strong activist. During his time as a Tuskegee airmen, he was fighting for his rights and others to serve in the armed forces. His role was to integrate the military, the armed forces and the civil rights activities that took place in the United States. Mosley used his motivation and determination to fight for integration in the Armed forces. People would ask him why he wasn't bitter about his rights in the Armed forces. Mosley was a part of a movement to prove that he was capable of making a contribution to the development of our great nation. After being in the Tuskegee Airmen, John Mosley joined the Federal government to continue being a civil rights activist. He married his high school friend Edna Wilson and both of them remained active in a number of professional and community organizations to help the African American community have equal rights. 

John Mosley served as a special assistant to the undersecretary in the Department of Health and Human Services when he and his wife moved to Aurora Colorado and was transferred to the Lowry Air Force Base.  He worked in a variety of positions including Equal Opportunity Specialist, Staff Director of the Mountain Plains Federal Regional Council and Special Assistant to James Farmer, Assistant Secretary of Administration.

Due to the impact that John W. Mosley as well as his wife Edna had in the Aurora Community, Aurora's Mayor, Steve Hogan, decided to dedicate a school to the individuals. The school, Edna and John W. Mosley P-8, opened on October 1, 2015 near Airport Boulevard and 2nd Avenue in Aurora, Colorado. Currently, it is serving more than 900 students.

Edna Mosley

Edna Mosley was one of MSU Denver’s first graduating students in 1969. She was also one of the University’s first nontraditional students: 44 years old, a mother and a career woman.

In 1988 she accompanied Colorado Governor Roy Romer on a trade mission to China to develop cultural exchange with Colorado's Sister State, Hunan Province. 

Mosley was a civil rights leader who left an incredible legacy on Colorado through her fights for equality. Among her achievements: She was the Director of Community Development for the Urban League of Metropolitan Denver from 1990-1991.

 She was the first black city council member  in Aurora, elected in 1991, and she was a founder of The Women’s Bank (now Colorado Business Bank), championing the rights of women to achieve financial freedom.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock knew Mosley well. “Edna was one of the most gentle but firm personalities I have ever known. She was very loving, but didn’t let you get away with anything. She was as beautiful a spirit as anyone I have ever been around.”

Likewise, Mosley’s friend donnie l. betts said, “She was gentle. When necessary, she was forcefully gentle. It was like she was saying, ‘I know my ground and I will stick firmly on the ground for which I stand but I will treat you with respect. And I expect the same from you. This is how we can solve any differences we have: with respect.’”

We are asking for support to run a media campaign to ensure that Stapleton’s new neighborhood name is changed to Mosley. With your support, we can reach our fundraising goal! We also need volunteers for our media team! Please share with your networks and reach out to us if you have any questions!