Category: African Americans

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20th century 21st century 24th and Lake Architects architecture Black spaces and places business civic infrastructure culture Great Plains Black History Museum historic preservation Lake Street Listed on National Register of Historic Places Near North Side Organizations Social services

A History of the Webster Telephone Exchange Building

Original North Side YMCA, 2213 Lake Street, North Omaha, Nebraska
The Webster Telephone Exchange Building at 2213 Lake Street was the home of the Urban North Side YMCA from 1945 to 1951, later becoming the Great Plains Black History Museum.

Some buildings are constructed, serve a purpose and then are demolished. Others seem to live several lifetimes by acting as a base for several enterprises and a hub for the community during different crises. Despite looking like its falling apart right now, one Lake Street building is such an institution, serving as an icon of change, sustainability and transformation in the community. This is is a history of the Webster Telephone Exchange Building.

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19th century 20th century 21st century architecture Black spaces and places historic preservation North 30th schools White flight

A History of Howard Kennedy School

Howard Kennedy Elementary School, 2906 North 30th Street, North Omaha, Nebraska
This is Howard Kennedy School at North 30th and Corby Street during its construction around 1912.

Sitting on top of a hill on the western edge of North Omaha, the Omaha View School was one of the city’s earliest. Rebuilt on a new site in 1908, in 1910 it was renamed, too. Since then the school has had notable alumni, built the surrounding neighborhood up, and changed dramatically. This is a history of the Howard Kennedy Elementary School.

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19th century 20th century 21st century African Americans Architects architecture Demolished buildings ethnic groups historic preservation Immigrants Jewish Near North Side North 24th Street schools Segregation

A History of Kellom School

1950 Kellom School, North Omaha, Nebraska
This is a 1950 photo of students in a history project at Kellom School.

What do Fred Astaire, Roger and Gale Sayers, Bob Gibson, Bob Boozer, Michael Anania, Brenda Council, and former Omaha mayor Johnny Rosenblatt all have in common? Born in the Near North Side, each attended the same school. That same building is a neighborhood institution with deep roots going back at least 140 years in Omaha’s past. This is a history of North Omaha’s Kellom School.

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19th century 20th century 21st century Architects architecture Black spaces and places Buildings economics Education historic preservation Lost history North 30th schools

A History of the Druid Hill School in North Omaha

Druid Hill School Math Fair, North Omaha, Nebraska
This 1991 picture shows students listening to a teacher at the Druid Hill Math Fair.

Some schools in Omaha were built in reaction to floods of new residents moving into neighborhoods unexpectedly. Others were built to attract new residents. Originally opened in 1885, the school at North 30th and Spaulding Street was the latter. This is a history of the Druid Hill School in North Omaha.

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19th century 20th century 21st century 24th and Lake African Americans business culture Jewish

A Tour of the 24th and Lake Historic District

Looking north from N. 24th and Grant, the "Edholm and Sherman" building on the right was south of the Blue Lion.

There is a LOT of history to see in North Omaha! With its uniquely diverse history of Jewish and African American culture set against a backdrop of historically distinct places, 24th and Lake Historic District is one of the jewels of Omaha’s history today. This is a tour of addresses in the district, along with […]

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1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition Black people Black spaces and places culture Demolished buildings historic preservation history racism

A History of the Old Plantation in North Omaha

Old Plantation, North Omaha, Nebraska
The Old Plantation was a feature at the 1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition and its successor, the 1899 Greater America Exposition, both happening in North Omaha.

This is a history of the Old Plantation, a display at the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition in North Omaha in 1898.

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20th century biography Black businesses Black businesspeople business historic preservation History of Nebraska Lost history Near North Side Segregation theaters

A Biography of George P. Johnson

Lincoln Motion Picture Company, North Omaha, Nebraska
The Lincoln Motion Picture Company produced films in L.A., but operated out of North Omaha.

The first-ever Black-owned, operated and filmed theater company in the world was led from North Omaha.