Following are some of the articles I’ve researched and written related directly to Black history in Omaha. When I share these on social media, I use the tag #omahablackhistory. See the author’s note at the end of this article for additional details.

Summary Articles about African Americans in Omaha

1. Fast Facts About African Americans in Omaha
2. Black Heritage Sites in Omaha
3. African American Firsts in Omaha
4. Black People in Omaha Before 1850
5. African American Politics
6. Businesses Owned by African Americans in Omaha
7. Notable African American Women in Omaha
8. Black Schools in Omaha
9. Black Hotels in Omaha

Civil Rights, Black Power and Social Justice in Omaha

1. A Tour of the Omaha Civil Rights Movement
2. A History of Enslavement in Nebraska
3. Citizens Civic Committee for Civil Liberties, or 4CL
4. Black Association for Nationalism Through Unity (BANTU)
5. Omaha DePorres Club
6. Omaha’s Black Panthers
7. Omaha Urban League, Urban League of Nebraska
8. NAACP Youth Council
9. Omaha NAACP Chapter
10. Emancipation Day and Juneteenth in Omaha
11. Lake-Charles Community Organization

Significant Black History Events in Omaha

1. Omaha Civil Rights Movement
2. The Murder of Vivian Strong
3. The Lynching of George Smith
4. The Lynching of Will Brown
5. Mob Terrorism in Omaha
6. Timeline of Race and Racism
7. Redlining
8. North Omaha Riots
9. Jack Johnson Riots
10. An Unsolved Murder in North Omaha
11. “Framed: J. Edgar Hoover, COINTELPRO and the Omaha Two Story” a series by Michael Richardson
12. Omaha’s “Black Mayor”
13. Stone Soul Picnic

Black Community Leaders in Omaha

1. Community Leaders
2. A Biography of Malcolm X in Omaha
   • Malcolm X Park
   • Malcolm X Birthsite
   • Malcolm X Day
3. Beverly Blackburn
4. Elizabeth Pittman
5. Silas Robbins
6. George Wells Parker
7. Rev. Dr. John Albert Williams
8. Mondo we Langa (David Rice) and Edward Poindexter
9. Eugene Skinner
10. Mildred Brown
11. Dan Desdunes
12. Lucinda Williams
13. Dr. Marguerita Washington
14. ‘Cap’ Clarence Wigington
15. Dr. Rodney S. Wead
16. Harry Buford, Jack Broomfield, and Billy Crutchfield
17. Harrison J. Pinkett
18. Anna R. Woodbey
19. Jessie Hale-Moss
20. Nathaniel Hunter
21. Bertha Calloway
22. Nellie Mae Webb
23. Richard D. Curry

Black Educators in Omaha

1. Eugene Skinner
2. Comfort Baker
3. Lucy Gamble
4. Florentine Pinkston
5. Josiah Waddle
6. George McPherson

Black Business People in Omaha

1. Black Businesspeople in Omaha
2. Cathy Hughes
3. George P. Johnson
4. Helen Mahammitt
5. Alfred Jones
6. Jim Bell
7. James Jewell and Jimmy Jewell, Jr.
8. Paul B. Allen
9. Charlie Hall

Black Politics in Omaha

1. People from North Omaha History
2. North Omaha’s African American Legislators
3. Omaha’s “Black Mayor”
4. Terrell McKinney
5. Justin Wayne
6. Tanya Cook
7. Brenda Council
8. Ernie Chambers
9. George Althouse
10. Edward Danner
11. Rev. John Adams, Sr.
12. John Adams, Jr.
13. Johnny Owens
14. Dr. Aaron McMillan
15. Ferdinand Barnett
16. Dr. John A. Singleton, DDS
17. Dr. Matthew Ricketts
18. Edwin R. Overall
19. Amos P. Scruggs
20. Lewis Washington
21. Millard Singleton
22. Andrew Stuart

Black Entertainers in Omaha

1. A History of Music in North Omaha
2. George McPherson
3. Red Perkins
4. Josiah Waddle
5. Florentine Pinkston
6. Dan Desdunes
7. George Bryant

Black Religious Figures in Omaha

1. Malcolm X
2. Rev. Dr. John Albert Williams
3. Rev. Anna R. Woodbey
4. Rev. Russel Taylor
5. Perfect Peace
6. Rev. John Adams, Sr.

Black Government Employees in Omaha

1. African American Policemen
2. African American Firefighters
3. African American Politics

Black Nonprofits in Omaha

1. Beverly Blackburn and the JFK Rec Center
2. Near North YMCA
3. Colored Old Folks Home
4. Gene Eppley North Omaha Boys Club
5. Bryant Resource Center
6. Run, Johnny Run Youth Center
7. Omaha Colored Commercial Club
8. Negro Women’s Christian Association of Omaha, aka Near North Side YWCA
9. Wesley House

Black Sports in Omaha History

1. Omaha Rockets Independent Black Baseball Team
2. Omaha Colored Baseball League
3. A History of North Omaha’s Red Dot Athletic Club
4. A History of the Midwest Athletic Club
5. Dorcas Lewis
6. Johnny Owen

Black Hospitals in Omaha History

1. Segregated Hospitals in Omaha
2. People’s Hospital
3. Salvation Army Women’s Hospital
4. Provident Hospital

Black Movie Theaters in Omaha History

1. Diamond Theater
2. Lothrop Theater
3. Ames Theater
4. The Ritz Theater
5. Alhambra Theater

Black Social Halls and Clubs in Omaha History

1. Social Clubs and Social Halls
2. Druid Hall
3. Prince Hall Masons
4. The Elks Hall and Iroquois Lodge #92
5. Midwest Athletic Club
6. American Legion Post #30

Black Churches in Omaha History

1. Historic Black Churches in North Omaha
2. Zion Baptist Church
3. St. Benedict’s Church
4. St. Philip the Deacon Episcopal Church
5. Mount Moriah Baptist Church
6. Bethel AME Church
7. Cleaves Temple CME
8. Hillside Presbyterian Church
9. New Bethel COGIC
10. Mt. Calvary Community Church
11. Calvin Memorial Presbyterian Church
12. Hope Lutheran Church
13. St. John’s AME Church
14. Immanuel Baptist Church

Black Public Places in Omaha History

1. North 24 Street, aka “The Deuce”
2. Segregated Schools in Omaha
   • Kellom School
   • Monmouth Park School
   • Lake School
   • Lothrop School
   • Franklin School
   • Howard Kennedy School
3. Tech High School 
4. The Old Carter Lake
5. Malcolm X Memorial Park aka Kountze Park
6. North High School
7. Howard Kennedy School
8. A History of Public Housing in North Omaha
9. Spencer Street Public Housing Projects
10. Logan Fontenelle Public Housing Projects
11. Hilltop Public Housing Projects
12. Pleasantview Public Housing Projects
13. Kellom Swimming Pool

Black Businesses, Iconic North Omaha Businesses, and Black Spending in Omaha History

1. Black-Owned Hotels
2. Skeet’s Barbeque
3. KOWH, North Omaha’s Black-Owned Radio Station
4. Bus Garage/Streetcar Shop at North 26th and Lake Streets
5. Carter Lake Amusement Park
6. Blue Lion Center
7. Carter Bank – Carter Savings and Loan Association
8. Webster Telephone Exchange Building
9. Duffy Drugs
10. Carter Lake Ballroom
11. Lane Drug Stores
12. Carnation Ballroom
13. Dreamland Ballroom
14. The Off-Beat
15. King Solomon’s Mines
16. Jim Bell’s Club Harlem
17. Allens’ Showcase Lounge
18. The Stage II Lounge
19. Bali-Hi Lounge
20. Edgewood Park, Omaha’s First Black-Owned Subdivision

Black Newspapers in Omaha History

1. African American Newspapers
2. The Omaha Star
3. The Monitor
4. The New Era
5. Lake Charles Action
6. Omaha Whip
7. The Omaha Guide

Black Restaurants, Diners and Cafes in Omaha History

1. Carter’s Cafe
2. Tic Toc Diner
3. Live Wire Cafe
4. Reeds Ice Cream
5. Fair Deal Cafe – Omaha’s “Black City Hall”
6. Hillcrest

Historic Black Neighborhoods in Omaha History

1. Kellom Heights
2. 24th Street
3. Near North Side
4. 24th and Lake Historic District
5. 24th and Lake
6. Kountze Place
7. 30th and Ames
8. Saratoga
9. 16th and Locust
10. 20th and Lake

Black Heritage Sites, Locations, Places and Markers

1. Omaha Black Heritage Sites
2. A Tour of the Omaha Civil Rights Movement
3. 24th and Lake Historic District
4. Blue Lion Center
5. 2410 Lake Street
6. Jensen Building
7. Carver Bank
8. Bryant Center
9. Webster Telephone Exchange Building
10. Allen’s Showcase
11. Site of the 24th and Lake Safeway
12. Site of Carter’s Cafe
13. Site of the Fair Deal Cafe
14. Prospect Hill Cemetery
15. Omaha Public Library Charles B. Washington Branch
16. Malcolm X Memorial Park
17. Site of Vivian Strong Killing
18. Kellom Swimming Pool
19. Site of People’s Hospital
20. Omaha Star Office
21. Technical High School
22. Zion Baptist Church
23. St. John’s AME Church
24. Site of St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church
25. Black Elks Hall
26. Site of the 1898 Congress of White and Colored Americans
27. Althouse Beauty School
28. 24th Street Worship Center

Black Events in Omaha

1. Native Omaha Days
2. Stone Soul Picnic
3. Congress of White and Colored Americans in Omaha

Crime in Omaha’s Black Community

1. Early 20th Century Crime Bosses
2. Mob Violence
3. A History of Police Brutality in Omaha
4. The Lynching of George Smith
5. The Lynching of Will Brown
6. The History of An Unsolved Murder
7. The Murder of Edward Flurry
8. The Case of Larkin McCloud
9. The North Omaha Riots

Other Omaha Black History Topics

1. Bertha Calloway’s talent shows
2. The Show Wagon in the parks
3. The popcorn man
4. The hot tamale man
5. The Bookmobile
6. Street corner doo-wop groups in North O
7. Kellogg’s Gas Station on North 24 Street
8. Phillips Gas Station on 30th Street
9. Hinky-Dinky Store at 24th and Lake Street
10. Former Charles Street Public Housing Projects
11. Safeway Stores
12. Pigley Wigley Stores
13. The Snack Stop
14. Merritt Drug Store at North 24th and Charles Street
15. The record store at North 24th and Charles Street
16. The Ritz Cab Company
17. “Jit-Nies” underground cabs
18. Cross Town Pawn Shop
19. Fried Fish Sandwiches at North 24th and Spencer Street
20. Tastee Freeze on North 30th Street
21. The Christ Child Center talent shows
22. Metoyers Bar-B-Que
23. Storz Beer Company on North 16th Street
24. Voyal Watson
25. Corby Park
26. CoCa-Cola Plant at North 30th and Spencer
27. Green Hill (aka Bedford Hill) on North 30th Street
28. Lothrop Drug Store at North 24th & Lothrop Streets
29. Slim Jenkins Place dances at North 16th and Lothrop
30. Teen Holiday dances at North 24th & Corby Streets
31. Mr. Corbin’s Popsicles
32. Parades
33. Dog House Bar on North 16th Street
34. Ritz Cab Company
35. The Snack Stop
36. McDonalds “After School” (24th & Cumming)
37. Merritt Drug Store (24th & Charles)
38. Anna’s Record Store (24th & Charles)
39. Big Jim.s Pool Parlor
40. Jitney Cab Stand & Rides
41. Bob Gibson’s Nightclub (Mr. G’s)
42. American Legion (Dances)
43. The Show Wagon (Talent Shows)
44. Myers’s Funeral Home
45. Thomas Funeral Home
46. Safeway Supermarket
47. Al’s Store (25th & Bristol)
48. Horace Mann Jr High
49. Lothrop Grade School
50. Central High
51. South High
52. Lothrop Drug Store
53. Nevelle’s Variety Store
54. Spencer Barbershop aka (Goodwin’s Barbershop With Ernie Chambers)
55. United Cab Company
56. Ritz Cab Company
57. Tuxedo Pool Parlor
58. Beacon Theater
59. Coca-Cola Plant (30th & Spencer)
60. Green Hill (aka Bedford Hill)
61. Dairy Queen
62. Spencer Shoe Shop (24th & Spencer)
63. Joe’s Fish Sandwiches (24th & Spencer)
64. Hinky Dinky Supermarket
65. Littlefield’s Beauty Shop (24th & Spencer)
66. Voyal Watson Beauty Salon
67. Bud Holiday’s Teen Holiday Center (24th & Corby)
68. Corby Park
69. Dr. Hawkins Office
70. Dr. Johnson Office
71. Joe’s Drive In
72. Miller Park Swimming Pool
73. Corbin’s Store & Popsicles (27th Maple Street)
74. Omar Bread & Bakery
75. Mildred’s Sandwich Shop
76. Irene’s Cafe
77. Beal’s Diner
78. the Ice Man
79. Bob’s Cafe
80. Sacred Heart School
81. Goodrich Ice-cream
82. Christ Child Center
83. Salem Baptist Church
84. Mount Calvary
85. Pilgrim Baptist Church
86. Rising Star Baptist
87. St John Baptist
88. McGills Blue Room Bar
89. Bali Hi Bar
90. M&M Bar
91. Crosstown Bar
92. Beacon Theater
93. Airport Drive-In
94. Peter Plenty Ice-Cream Truck
95. Mister Softie Ice-Cream Truck.
96. The Book Mobile
97. The Wirt Street TV Repair Shop
98. Al’s Bar 24th & Spencer
99. Omaha Ramblers Black Baseball Team
100. Allen’s Record Store
101. Federal Market
102. DeWitt’s Restaurant
103. Burdette Field
104. Peterson’s Bakery
105. Crosstown Cleaners
106. Crosstown Pawn Shop
107. Mickey’s Lounge
108. Apex Bar
109. Dailey’s Liquor Store
110. Elks Drill Teams
111. 24 Street Parades
112. Merritt Drug Store (24th & Charles)
113. Franklin School
114. Dorothy Eure

Would you like to see more Black history articles on NorthOmahaHistory.com? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Author’s Note: Hi, my name is Adam and I’m a white guy who grew up in North Omaha. While I was growing up, my mentors included Idu Maduli and Von Trimble, Sr. and Rev. Helen Saunders, as well as many other people. These caring, concerned adults made sure I knew that the community’s history was more than what I learned at North High School or McMillan Junior High, or from the Omaha World-Herald and other media. They taught me about things, people, events, places and organizations that mattered to African American history in Omaha, as well as Omaha’s history in general and national history. I don’t have any special or unique knowledge, and a lot is missing from my stories. Please share the truth, details, facts, and your other information in the comments below. Thank you.

---

You Might Like…

• History of North Omaha, Part 1
• History of North Omaha, Part 2
• North Omaha History Timeline

MY ARTICLES ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS IN OMAHA
General: History of Racism | Timeline of Racism
Events: Juneteenth | Malcolm X Day | Congress of White and Colored Americans | George Smith Lynching | Will Brown Lynching | North Omaha Riots | Vivian Strong Murder | Jack Johnson Riot
Issues: African American Firsts in Omaha | Police Brutality | North Omaha African American Legislators | North Omaha Community Leaders | Segregated Schools | Segregated Hospitals | Segregated Hotels | Segregated Sports | Segregated Businesses | Segregated Churches | Redlining | African American Police | African American Firefighters | Lead Poisoning
People: Rev. Dr. John Albert Williams | Edwin Overall | Harrison J. Pinkett | Vic Walker | Joseph Carr | Rev. Russel Taylor | Dr. Craig Morris | Mildred Brown | Dr. John Singleton | Ernie Chambers | Malcolm X
Organizations: Omaha Colored Commercial Club | Omaha NAACP | Omaha Urban League | 4CL (Citizens Coordinating Committee for Civil Rights) | DePorres Club | Omaha Black Panthers | City Interracial Committee | Providence Hospital | American Legion | Elks Club | Prince Hall Masons | BANTU
Related: Black History | African American Firsts | A Time for Burning | Omaha KKK | Committee of 5,000

MY ARTICLES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF OMAHA’S NEAR NORTH SIDE
GROUPS: Black People | Jews and African Americans | Jews | Hungarians | Scandinavians | Chinese | Italians
EVENTS: Redlining | North Omaha Riots | Stone Soul Picnic | Native Omaha Days Festival
BUSINESSES: Club Harlem | Dreamland Ballroom | Omaha Star Office | 2621 North 16th Street | Calhoun Hotel | Warden Hotel | Willis Hotel | Broadview Hotel | Carter’s Cafe | Live Wire Cafe | Fair Deal Cafe | Metoyer’s BBQ | Skeet’s | Storz Brewery | 24th Street Dairy Queen | 1324 N. 24th St. | Ritz Theater | Alhambra Theater | 2410 Lake Street | Carver Savings and Loan Association | Blue Lion Center | 9 Center Variety Store | Bali-Hi Lounge
CHURCHES: St. John’s AME Church | Zion Baptist Church | Mt. Moriah Baptist Church | St. Philip Episcopal Church | St. Benedict Catholic Parish | Holy Family Catholic Church | Bethel AME Church | Cleaves Temple CME Church | North 24th Street Worship Center
HOMES: A History of | Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects | The Sherman | The Climmie | Ernie Chambers Court aka Strelow Apartments | Hillcrest Mansion | Governor Saunders Mansion | Memmen Apartments
SCHOOLS: Kellom | Lake | Long | Cass Street | Izard Street | Dodge Street
ORGANIZATIONS: Red Dot Athletic Club | Omaha Colored Baseball League | Omaha Rockets | YMCA | Midwest Athletic Club | Charles Street Bicycle Park | DePorres Club | NWCA | Elks Hall and Iroquois Lodge 92 | American Legion Post #30 | Bryant Resource Center | People’s Hospital | Bryant Center
NEIGHBORHOODS: Long School | Logan Fontenelle Projects | Kellom Heights | Conestoga | 24th and Lake | 20th and Lake | Charles Street Projects
INDIVIDUALS: Edwin Overall | Rev. Russel Taylor | Rev. Anna R. Woodbey | Rev. Dr. John Albert Williams | Rev. John Adams, Sr. | Dr. William W. Peebles | Dr. Craig Morris | Dr. John A. Singleton, DDS | Dr. Aaron M. McMillan | Mildred Brown | Dr. Marguerita Washington | Eugene Skinner | Dr. Matthew O. Ricketts | Helen Mahammitt | Cathy Hughes | Florentine Pinkston | Amos P. Scruggs | Nathaniel Hunter | Bertha Calloway
OTHER: 26th and Lake Streetcar Shop | Webster Telephone Exchange Building | Kellom Pool | Circus Grounds | Ak-Sar-Ben Den

Elsewhere Online

• Great Plains Black History Museum
• Making Invisible Histories Visible–A project of Omaha Public Schools led by high school age historians
• Urban League of Nebraska Black History Month
• Blackpast.org–An online reference center makes available a wealth of materials on African American history in one central location on the Internet.
• “Creating the color line and confronting Jim Crow: Civil rights in middle America: 1850-1900” by David Peavler for the University of Kansas in 2008.
• Great Plains Black History Museum Archival Collection Refurbishing Project
• The Omaha Gospel Complex In Historical Perspective by Tom Jack for the College of Saint Mary in Summer 2000.
• In the world but not of the world: A church’ s relation to its environment by James Earl Floyd for the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 8/1975.
• An Analysis of Negro Ritualistic ceremonies as Exemplified by Negro Organizations in Omaha by Ida Madonna Rowland for University of Omaha on 5/16/1938.

BONUS PICS