My name is Adam Fletcher Sasse and I am a historian, advocate and educator who is the author of #OmahaBlackHistory: African American People, Places, and Events from the History of Omaha, Nebraska; North Omaha History Volumes 1, 2 & 3 and five other books related to Omaha history; the editor of NorthOmahaHistory.com; the host of the North Omaha History Podcast; and an artist focused on North Omaha’s built environment. My professional work includes organizational consulting for K-12 schools, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.

I grew up in North Omaha in the Miller Park neighborhood for more than a decade from the mid-1980s through the mid-90s. Growing up in this historical, predominantly African American neighborhood, I was a bit of an anomaly: I was a goofy white Canadian kid in cowboy boots and corduroy pants from a poor family in a crappy house. But I devoured history, especially the stories of the place where I was growing up.

I went to Miller Park Elementary, Sherman Elementary, and McMillan Junior High. In 1993, I graduated from North High School. While the leadership of the school was mostly African American, I don’t know if any of the teachers to have a specific appreciation or interest in the African American history of Omaha, and I don’t remember being taught anything about it. The history of the people who established the neighborhoods was hard to find, and that is part of what makes this history so alluring to me. I ended up earning my Bachelor’s degree in creative nonfiction and popular education at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and conducting graduate studies in educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Washington in Seattle.

The other part of why I write this website is because of my mentors and friends. One of my mentors was Idu Maduli, who taught me the neighborhood’s history when I was young. I also learned glimpses of the city’s history from other mentors, including Rev. Helen Saunders, many of the people at Pearl Memorial United Methodist Church, Von Trimble, and Mr. and Mrs. Hickerson, who I lived next to on Ellison Avenue. I owe all of them a debt of gratitude. My high school girlfriend was the first history sleuth I ever knew, uncovering the Trans-Mississippi Exposition when I had no idea there was a history where I lived.

I only hope to ignite young peoples’ imaginations the ways these people ignited mine when I was young. If you have any questions, ideas, contributions or other thoughts related to me, NorthOmahaHistory.com or the history of Omaha, please contact me!

My Books Related to North Omaha

Books that I have written related to the history of Omaha include…

• The Mayors of Florence, Nebraska
• #OmahaBlackHistory: African American People, Places, and Events from the History of Omaha, Nebraska
• Drawing North Omaha
• North Omaha History: Volume One
• North Omaha History: Volume Two
• North Omaha History: Volume Three
• A Picture History of Omaha’s Saratoga Neighborhood
• North Omaha History Timeline
• The NorthOmahaHistory.com Guide to Fort Omaha

You Might Like…

• About NorthOmahaHistory.com
• North Omaha History Books by Adam Fletcher Sasse
• North Omaha History Podcast

Citations

These are interviews, websites, videos and articles with Adam Fletcher Sasse related to NorthOmahaHistory.com.

• “Omaha Black History by Adam Fletcher Sasse,” Japan Journal by Mal Adams (September 19, 2023)
• “In the Morning” 1st Sky Omaha (September 9, 2023)
• “Improvements to be made on Omaha’s controversial North Freeway,” by Channel 6 News (September 4, 2023)
• “Disorganized Crime: Dispelling the Myth of Omaha’s Irish Mob Ties” by Adam Fletcher Sasse Omaha Magazine (February 23, 2023)
• “North Omaha’s People’s Hospital: Open to Anyone” Kim Carpenter Omaha Magazine (December 27, 2022)
• “The Lynching of George Smith” Dan Shattil and Emily Cameron Omaha World-Herald (December 18, 2022)
• “The Will Brown Lynching” Dan Shattil and Emily Cameron Omaha World-Herald (December 18, 2022)
• “A Freeway Splits an Omaha Neighborhood” Dan Shattil and Emily Cameron Omaha World-Herald (December 18, 2022)
• “Diversity Remains a Challenge for the Omaha World-Herald” Dan Shattil and Emily Cameron Omaha World-Herald (December 18, 2022)
• The Omaha Star and the Omaha World-Herald saw North Omaha differently” Dan Shattil and Emily Cameron Omaha World-Herald (December 18, 2022)
• “Police Brutality in Omaha Nebraska” by MORE: Movement in Omaha for Racial Equity. (June 30, 2022)
• “Omaha’s first Black representative in the state legislature a doctor who championed civil rights” Stu Pospisil Omaha World-Herald (Feburary 6, 2022)
• “‘Unravelling Racism’: The Staenberg Omaha Jewish Community Center tackles the taboo topic” by Danielle Davis for Channel 3 News (December 14, 2021)
• “Unraveling Racism with Adam Fletcher Sasse” Annette van de Kamp, Jewish Press. (November 16, 2021)
• “North Omaha History’s Adam Fletcher Sasse on Racism’s Legacy in Metro,” Tom Knoblauch, KIOS (October 9, 2021)
• “All aspects of Omaha’s rich history can be found in books by local authors – Books abound on Omaha’s rich history” Stu Pospisil Omaha World-Herald (August 22, 2021)
• “A glimpse at Omaha’s Black history pre-1880” Stu Pospisil Omaha World-Herald (July 4, 2021)
• “A look back: The Omaha riots of the 1960s” Jon Kipper KMTV (June 4, 2021)
• “The Black Church” Nebraska Public Media (February 25, 2021)
• “Solving Omaha’s racial divide may not be obvious, but youth athletics could be a step in the right direction for the decades-long conundrum” Luke Mullin Nebraska News Service (December 19, 2020)
• “#OmahaBlackHistory book embraces community’s past” Melissa Fry KETV (March 11, 2021)
• “Adam Fletcher Sasse Joins the Show” Pat & JT podcast (December 9, 2020)
• “Leaders In Purpose ep 19 Adam Fletcher Sasse” C.C. Alexander KPAO (November 14, 2020)
• “When the University of Omaha Called North O Home: The founding of a school” Tim Trudell Omaha Magazine (September 30, 2020)
• “Stories of a Scottish Castle” Lisa Lukecart Omaha Magazine (September 30, 2020)
• “New owner determined to restore North Omaha landmark” Erin Duffy Omaha World-Herald (January 26, 2020)
• “Current protests across the country evoke memories of 1960s Omaha” Paul Guitterez KPTM (May 29, 2020)
• “‘A Different Kind of Church’: Historic North Omaha Church Envisioned as a Community Center” Erin Duffy Omaha World-Herald (February 26, 2020)
• “Historic Chambers Court damaged in Friday night fire; 33 people displaced” Sierra Karst Omaha World-Herald (December 21, 2019)
• “Effort to bring new life to old North Omaha mall and bowling all is rolling right,” Cindy Gonzalez Omaha World-Herald (November 23, 2019)
• “Adam Fletcher Sasse – Learning from North Omaha’s History” Inside Omaha podcast (July 5, 2019)
• “16 Omaha Podcasts You Should Be Listening To” NP Dodge (March 13, 2019)
• “In 1863, Nebraska Territory hanged a Kansas legislator in its first legal execution” Chris Peters Omaha World-Herald (December 3, 2018)