North Omaha History

My name is Adam Fletcher Sasse. I am a nonprofit executive, professional writer and speaker who runs a national nonprofit education organization in Olympia, Washington. I am the author of #OmahaBlackHistory: African American People, Places, and Events from the History of Omaha, Nebraska; North Omaha History Volumes 1, 2 & 3; the editor of NorthOmahaHistory.com; the host of the North Omaha History Podcast; and an artist focused on North Omaha’s built environment.

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.

As of summer 2020, I have:

• Written more than 475 articles for NorthOmahaHistory.com
• Created more than 75 episodes of the North Omaha History Podcast
• Drawn more than 200 physical places from the history of North Omaha
• Gained more than 7,500 followers on social media for North Omaha History
• Founded and co-founded two very large Omaha-focused history groups on Facebook
• Made more than 20 presentations focused on the history of North Omaha
• Presented for the Douglas County Historical Society, the Gold Coast Neighborhood Association, Kiwanis groups in Omaha, and others

You Might Like…

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

Elsewhere Online

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

• “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)
• “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)
• “#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)
• “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)
• “In 1863, Nebraska Territory hanged a Kansas legislator in its first legal execution” Chris Peters Omaha World-Herald (December 3, 2018)