Category: Black spaces and places

• A History of North Omaha’s Stone Soul Picnic

  

  Black people in Omaha have celebrated, uplifted and empowered Black culture in the city for more than 150 years. Sometimes there are events and places that become synonymous with these celebrations. One of these happened for more than 25 years. This is a history of North Omaha’s Stone Soul Picnic. Before this Phenomenon Starting in […]

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  May 17, 2022

  21st century, African Americans, Black culture, Black organizations, Black spaces and places, Carter Lake, culture, events, historic preservation, Organizations, society

• A History of the 3006 Building in North Omaha

  

  This is a history of the historic storefronts located at N. 24th and Binney Streets in North Omaha, Nebraska.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  February 9, 2022

  20th century, 21st century, Black businesses, Black spaces and places, Buildings, business, Grocery store, Lost history, North 24th Street, real estate, White flight

• A History of Music in North Omaha

  

  This is a summary of a LOT of music in North Omaha over the last 150 years, including jazz, soul, blues, hip hop, gospel, pop, and so much more. Get introduced some of the people, places, events, and more from North Omaha’s musical history.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  January 6, 2022

  19th century, 20th century, 21st century, African Americans, African Methodist Episcopal, Art, Baptist, Black churches, Black culture, Black educators, Black organizations, Black people, Black performers, Black spaces and places, Books, Buildings, Churches, Civil Rights Movement, Clubs, clubs, culture, government, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Jazz, Lost history, music, nightlife, religion, schools, Segregation, Social clubs, Social halls, Social services, society, theaters, Theaters, United Methodist, White flight, White people

• A History of The Omaha Guide

  

  This is a history of the Omaha Guide newspaper, a Black-owned and Black-focused semi-weekly in North Omaha, Nebraska from 1927 through 1956.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  December 7, 2021

  20th century, Black businesses, Black businesspeople, Black culture, Black spaces and places, culture, historic preservation, Newspapers

• A Biography of North Omaha’s Ollie William Jackson

  

  Ollie Jackson was pinned with being a notorious criminal in the hire of Tom Dennison. This is his biography.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  December 2, 2021

  19th century, 20th century, Black leader, Black people, Black politicians, Black spaces and places, crime, Forest Lawn burial, government, history, Near North Side

• A History of Relations between Jews and African Americans in Omaha

  

  This is a history of relations between Black people and Jews in Omaha, Nebraska. It details instances, occasions, places and spaces where the Jewish community interacted with the Black community in the city.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  November 29, 2021

  19th century, 20th century, 21st century, 24th and Lake, Activism, African Americans, Black people, Black politicians, Black spaces and places, business, Civil Rights Movement, culture, economics, Europeans, Historic districts, historic preservation, history, History of Nebraska, Immigrants, industry, Jewish, Lake Street, Legislators, Near North Side, North 16th Street, North 24th Street, Politics, poverty, Race riot, racism, religion, Segregation, wealthy, White flight, White people

• History of the Bedford Place Neighborhood

  This is a history of the Bedford Place neighborhood in North Omaha, Nebraska.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  February 1, 2021

  19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Ames Ave, Ames Avenue, Black spaces and places, Buildings, business, civic infrastructure, crime, Demolished buildings, Druid Hill, economics, Grocery store, Historic houses, historic preservation, Lost history, Manufacturing, neighborhoods, North 30th, poverty, racism, White flight

• Biography of Rev. Russel Taylor

  

  A musician, educator and minister committed to Black power, Rev. Russel Taylor was a powerful leader in North Omaha. This is his story.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  December 6, 2020

  20th century, Activism, biography, Black churches, Black leader, Black ministers, Black spaces and places, Civil Rights Movement, Demolished buildings, historic preservation, Near North Side, Presbyterian, religion, Segregation

• Directory of Historic North Omaha Church Buildings

  

  This is a directory of historic North Omaha church buildings. Many are still churches; some are not.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  November 21, 2020

  19th century, 20th century, 21st century, African Methodist Episcopal, Americans, Architects, architecture, Baptist, Black churches, Black spaces and places, Buildings, Catholics, Churches, Demolished buildings, Demolished buildings, economics, ethnic groups, Europeans, Lutheran, poverty, Presbyterian, religion, Segregation, United Methodist, wealthy, White people

• History of 2410 Lake Street

  

  This is a history of the now-demolished building that once stood at 2410 Lake Street that housed a vaudeville theater, movies, a nightclub, a bowling alley, a supper club, and a teen club, as well as a bar before it was demolished in the 1970s.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  October 5, 2020

  20th century, 24th and Lake, Black businesses, Black spaces and places, Cafes, Clubs, clubs, Demolished buildings, Food, Lake Street, Lost history, Near North Side, nightlife, Restaurants, Theaters

• A History of Omaha’s “Black Mayor”

  

  Since its founding in 1854, the City of Omaha has never had a publicly elected Black mayor. For a period in from the 1930s through the 1940s though, there was a Black mayor competition held. This is a history of that position.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  September 21, 2020

  20th century, Black leader, Black organizations, Black spaces and places, culture, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Lost history, Organizations, Segregation, Social clubs, society

• History of the Carver Savings and Loan Association

  

  This is a history of the Carver Bank in North Omaha, the first-ever Black-owned bank in Nebraska.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  September 21, 2020

  20th century, 21st century, 24th and Lake, architecture, Art, Black businesspeople, Black organizations, Black spaces and places, business, Civil Rights Movement, culture, economics, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Lake Street, Listed on National Register of Historic Places, Segregation

• A History of the Webster Telephone Exchange Building

  

  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.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  June 5, 2020

  20th century, 21st century, 24th and Lake, Architects, architecture, Black culture, Black people, 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 Howard Kennedy School

  

  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.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  June 5, 2020

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

• A History of the Druid Hill School in North Omaha

  

  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.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  May 10, 2020

  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 Old Plantation 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.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  March 15, 2020

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

• A History of the Hillcrest Mansion in North Omaha

  

  This is the story of a mansion in North Omaha built as a home to a wealthy real estate mogul that eventually became the site of a decades-long Black-owned business.

  Adam F.C. Fletcher

  July 20, 2019

  20th century, 21st century, architecture, Black businesses, Black people, Black spaces and places, Demolished buildings, Historic houses, Lost history, Restaurants, society