Recently, A’Jamal Byndon of MORE: The Movement for Omaha Racial Equity interviewed me for his video series, giving me the chance to talk about my passion for documenting the history of African-Americans in Omaha. The conversation, which you can watch below, dives into how I started my work, why I believe this history is so important, and what I hope people take away from it.
My Journey to NorthOmahaHistory.com
My journey began back in 2008 when I started creating Wikipedia articles. Eventually, that work evolved into NorthOmahaHistory.com. Growing up in the Miller Park neighborhood, I heard so many stories that were different from the negative perceptions of the area during the 80s and 90s. These experiences are what motivated me to dig deeper and document the real, rich history of my community.
Why History Is So Important
I believe that local history, especially that of people of color, is often suppressed to reinforce existing power structures. That’s why I’m so passionate about highlighting historical black newspapers in Omaha, like the Omaha Progress and the Omaha Monitor, which were vital for spreading news and activism within the community. In the interview, I also talk about early black activists like Edwin Overall, a former conductor on the Underground Railroad who successfully fought for the desegregation of Omaha’s schools in 1871. These stories show that the fight for civil rights in our city has a much longer history than many realize.
What I Hope You Take Away
Ultimately, I hope that my work and this interview leave readers with three main takeaways:
- Omaha’s history is about more than just “old white guys.”
- The history of African-Americans in Omaha is much longer and deeper than you might expect.
- History is an ongoing process that we are all a part of today.
I’m currently working on a new book about the Omaha civil rights movement, and I’m excited to share more of this vital history. To learn more about my research and explore more of Omaha’s history, please check out this entire website. The navigation below provides some starting points.
Do you have ideas, concerns, criticisms or information for me? Leave them in the comments!
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MY ARTICLES ABOUT BLACK HISTORY IN OMAHA
MAIN TOPICS: Black Heritage Sites | Black Churches | Black Hotels | Segregated Hospitals | Segregated Schools | Black Businesses | Black Politics | Black Newspapers | Black Firefighters | Black Policeman | Black Women | Black Legislators | Black Firsts | Social Clubs | Military Service Members | Sports
PIONEER BLACK OMAHA: Black People in Omaha Before 1850 | The First Black Neighborhood | Black Voting in Omaha Before 1870 | Racist Laws Before 1900 |
EVENTS: Stone Soul Picnic | Native Omahans Day | Congress of Black and White Americans | Harlem Renaissance in North Omaha
RELATED: Race and Racism | Civil Rights Movement | Police Brutality | Redlining
NEBRASKA BLACK HISTORY: Enslavement in Nebraska | Underground Railroad in Nebraska | Grand Island |
TIMELINES: Racism | Black Politics | Civil Rights | The Last 25 Years
RESOURCES: Book: #OmahaBlackHistory: African American People, Places and Events from the History of Omaha, Nebraska | Bibliography: Omaha Black History Bibliography | Video: “OmahaBlackHistory 1804 to 1930” | Podcast: “Celebrating Black History in Omaha”
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Adam,Do you know if any of Nebraska’s Black churches and women’s and men’s clubs have published cookbooks?Do you read John McWhorter
Hi Oliver. I’m familiar with John McWhorter, but have only read his book on self-sabotoge and several of his NYT articles.
The only cookbook from within Omaha’s Black community that I’ve specifically tracked was written by Helen Mahhammitt in 1939. YOu can learn about it at https://northomahahistory.com/2019/09/04/a-biography-of-helen-mahammitt/
I’ve read mention of others, but I haven’t made a point of searching further. Tell me why you’re looking for them?
I am White and grew up in North Omaha. Does this site deal only with Blacks? If so, please unsubscribe me. Thank you.
What? Are you okay? It’s easier to look at the rest of the website than make racist comments and embarrass yourself. Do you need me to call someone for you?