Regis Groff

Regis F. Groff (April 8, 1935 – October 5, 2014) was an American school teacher, politician, and civil servant. The second African-American elected to the Colorado State Senate, Groff served for 20 years in it. Noted for his public speaking ability, he was called the "Conscience of the Colorado Senate." He was a Democrat.

Biography Early years

Regis F. Groff was born in Monmouth, Illinois on April 8, 1935. Groff served a stint in the United States Air Force from 1953 to 1957 as part of the Northeast Air Command.

Groff graduated from Western Illinois University in 1962. Following graduation Groff worked for one year in the city of Chicago as a case worker for the Cook County Department of Public Aid.

Groff moved to Denver, Colorado in 1963 to take a position teaching history at Smiley Junior High School. Groff was re-elected to a full term in 1976 and returned to the statehouse at each election up to his departure from the Colorado Senate. Shortly thereafter, Groff resigned his position as the president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, a position he had held for four years.

Groff retired from state service in 1998, moving to the position of Executive Director of the Metro Black Church Initiative, a religious community service organization.

Groff's papers are housed by the Denver Public Library in Denver, Colorado. The collection consists of 8 archival boxes and five other containers of material, of which all save one are open for public research. The single restricted box remains closed until 2030.

Groff's son, Peter Groff, later served in the same district as a member of the Colorado State Senate. His daughter, Traci L. (Groff) Jones, is a published and nationally awarded Young Adult Author of four published books. He also has a campus named after him in northeast Denver, Colorado. The Regis F. Groff campus is currently a shared high school campus which houses KIPP High School and Rocky Mountain Prep RISE High School.