Colorado pioneers: Peter Groff and Terrance Carroll broke ground by being the first African Americans to lead both chambers of a state legislature at the same time. But they'd rather keep the focus on the work than on race.

• Author: Sealover, Ed

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Two months into their historic tenure as the first African Americans to lead both chambers of the legislature in one state at the same time, Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll and Senate President Peter Groff would talk to anyone who would listen about budget deficits, constitutional spending limits and higher-education funding.

There was just one subject the two Democrats from northeast Denver did not want to discuss: Their historic tenure as the first African Americans to lead both chambers of the legislature in one state at the same time.

"I said to my brother-in-law: 'How many more of these do we need to do?' "Groff said during an interview in his office in March, three days alter yet another celebration dinner honoring the duo for their accomplishment. "He said to me: 'You need to think about what is being accomplished here.'

"I understand the historic nature of it. I understand how important it is for people of color to see a person of color hold these positions. But I do think you get to the point where you say: 'OK, we've done that, and now let's get on to the business at hand.'"

Looking at the Colorado legislature as it stood upon adjournment in early May, it could be viewed as both natural and yet impossible to overlook what the men had done.

Consider this: Groff and Carroll were the only African-American legislators in the 100-person body in 2009, making their historic combination both a triumph of their race and, in some ways, proof that their race had nothing to do with the positions they occupied.

DIFFERENT PATHS

Though the men are both attorneys and live less than 10 blocks from each other, they come from very different backgrounds.

Groff, 46, is the son of a state senator. He attended college in California, came home to get involved in politics, and worked his way up from a councilwoman's legislative aide to a senior adviser for a mayor.

As a governor's office ombudsman, he would sit in the Senate gallery and watch his dad until he was told to get back to work. He naturally jumped at the first opportunity to serve in the House, winning election in 2000.

Carroll, 40, grew up in the poor and violent Capitol Hill and Anacostia neighborhoods of Washington, D.C., the only son of a single room who was a sharecropper's daughter. He came to Colorado to get a doctorate in political science, worked as a police officer, a chaplain and a youth counselor. He won appointment in 2003 to the House seat that...