This 1868 article details how Black people joined Omaha's Republican Party after Emancipation.

A History of Black Voting in Omaha Before 1870

Before Omaha’s founding in 1854, white supremacy suppressed Black political participation. This is a story of how Black people in the city were betrayed by white leaders and still thrived, regardless of white supremacy. Continue reading A History of Black Voting in Omaha Before 1870

In 1865, a so-called “colored school” was open by the new Omaha school district and served at least twenty-seven students annually from 1865 to 1872. Shown here is an 1888 picture of 9th Street north from Farnam. The school was on 9th Street north of Dodge Street until 1872.

A History of Omaha’s First Black Neighborhood

Before 24th and Lake existed, Omaha’s first Black neighborhood was established in the 1850s. It was around 10th and Dodge, and was a segregated enclave known as the Near North Side. It housed significant community leaders and institutions, witnessing early civil rights struggles and eventually leading to the area’s integration by 1872. Continue reading A History of Omaha’s First Black Neighborhood