Category: Omaha

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Activism, Adam Fletcher Sasse, Black activists, Black people, Civil Rights Movement, Culture, Economics, Environment, Omaha, Organizations, schools, society, storytelling, Students, White people, YouthLeave a comment
Picketing, Reed's Ice Cream, 3106 North 24th Street, North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of Youth Activism in Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

This is a history of youth activism in Omaha, Nebraska, from the last 125+ years. Continue reading A History of Youth Activism in Omaha

19th century, Abolition, Activism, Americans, Black activists, Black businesspeople, Black culture, Black leader, Black politicians, Crime, Culture, Economics, Lost history, Omaha, Pioneer era, Politics, Prince Hall Masons, Racism, Segregation, society, White peopleLeave a comment
This 1868 article details how Black people joined Omaha's Republican Party after Emancipation.

A History of Black Voting in Omaha Before 1870

Adam Fletcher Sasse

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

19th century, Activism, Black History, Black leader, Black people, Black politicians, Black spaces and places, Civic Infrastructure, Crime, Culture, Enslaved Person, General history, Government, Legislators, Omaha, Pioneer era, Politics, Racism, Reconstruction, SegregationLeave a comment
This is "A History of Early Laws Enforcing Racial Discrimination in Omaha" by Adam Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com.

A History of Early Laws Enforcing Racial Discrimination in Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

This is a history of early laws enforcing racial discrimination in Omaha. Continue reading A History of Early Laws Enforcing Racial Discrimination in Omaha

16th century, 17th century, 18th century, Americans, Black History, Black people, Black spaces and places, Enslaved Person, Ethnicities & Races, Europeans, French, Government, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Immigrants, Lost history, Missouri River, Mormons, Native Americans, Omaha, Pioneer era, Racism, Spanish, White peopleLeave a comment
York (1770 – before 1832) was the first African American in Omaha. He was a slave belonging to William Clark of the 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition.

A History of Black People in the Omaha Area Before 1850

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Black trappers, traders, pioneers, and farmers were in the Omaha area before the city was founded. This is a history of Black people in the Omaha area before 1854 by Adam Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com. Continue reading A History of Black People in the Omaha Area Before 1850

Americans, Biographies, Black History, Books, Crime, General history, Historic houses, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, North Omaha, Omaha, Politics, press release, self-published, storytelling, StreetsLeave a comment
This is the cover of North Omaha History: Volume Three by Adam Fletcher Sasse

Dynamic Past, Hope-filled Future: North Omaha History, Volume Three Now On Sale!

Adam Fletcher Sasse

(Olympia, WA: December 1, 2016) The final book of Adam Fletcher Sasse’s series, North Omaha History: Volume Three, is now available from CommonAction Publishing. In the third book of the North Omaha History Series, Adam Fletcher Sasse reveals a lot of the hidden, denied … Continue reading Dynamic Past, Hope-filled Future: North Omaha History, Volume Three Now On Sale!

18th century, 19th century, 20th century, Americans, Black History, Economics, Government, History of Nebraska, North Omaha, Omaha, Politics, Poverty, Race riot, Racism, society, White flight7 Comments
This is a visual map of the racial composition of Omaha as of 2010. Green represents African American; orange, Hispanic/Latino; red, Asian American; blue, white. From the Racial Dot Map at https://demographics.virginia.edu/DotMap/index.html

A Timeline of Racism in Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Race and racism has dominated Omaha has history of movement, organizing and activism for civil rights for African Americans and others that goes almost back to the founding of the city. Following is a timeline of race and racism in North Omaha. Continue reading A Timeline of Racism in Omaha

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Black History, Crime, Culture, Economics, Government, Near North Side, North 24th Street, Omaha, Politics, Poverty, Race riot, Racism, society, White flight4 Comments
Near North Side, Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Near North Side Neighborhood in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

As far as I’m concerned, the history of Omaha’s Near North Side neighborhood is the richest in all of Omaha. It has been home to working class families, poor people, and the wealthy; northern Europeans, African Americans, and eastern Europeans; Lutherans and Catholics, Jews and Black Muslims; slums, family homes, and mansions; looked like a pioneer town, had country gentleman farms, been a suburb, and had slums; professional offices, warehouses, manufacturing plants, local storefronts, printing presses, training centers, supermarkets and pop-up shops; giant churches and synagogues, and tiny storefront temples and more. So much has happened here, and clearly its story is still being written… Continue reading A History of the Near North Side Neighborhood in North Omaha

20th century, 21st century, Black History, Crime, Culture, Florence, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, Near North Side, North 24th Street, North Omaha, Omaha, Omaha Claim Club, Politics, Racism, White flight17 Comments
This is a 1930s era US federal government Home Owners Loan Corporation map from the US Library of Congress. It was found by Palma Joy Strand, a professor at Creighton Law School and the Werner Institute 2040 Initiative at Creighton University.

A History of Redlining in Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

The history of North Omaha includes redlining starting during the 1920s, and being made illegal in the 1960s. This article explores that history, including the context in which it happened and some of the outcomes. Continue reading A History of Redlining in Omaha

20th century, Civic Infrastructure, Kountze Place, North 24th Street, Omaha, schools4 Comments
Municipal University of Omaha Science Hall, North 24th and Ames Avenue, North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of Original Omaha University in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Along the tree-lined streets and fine middle and upper class homes of Kountze Place in North Omaha, the staff of Omaha’s Presbyterian Theological Seminary decided in the early 20th century to start a new university. For 30 years, the neighborhood was home to the eventual University of Nebraska at Omaha. This is a short history of that time, starting from the beginning. Continue reading A History of Original Omaha University in North Omaha

1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, 19th century, East Omaha, Expo Grounds, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, OmahaLeave a comment

A History of the Location of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition

Adam Fletcher Sasse

By now, many North Omahans are familiar with the grand, wonderful, exuberant and spectacular event know as the Trans-Mississippi Exposition of 1898. However, not many people know that the “event of the century” almost didn’t happen in banker Augustus Kountze’s land centered on 24th and Evans. In planning for at least three years before it was launched, the Expo committee worked diligently for many months to identify the absolute perfect place to hold the event. Led by early Omaha banker Gurdon Wattles, this committee was stocked with business leaders and other informed by locally important people including David Mercer and … Continue reading A History of the Location of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition

20th century, Black History, History of Nebraska, Omaha, Race riot, Racism3 Comments

A History of the 1919 Lynching and Riot in Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Omaha has many histories that need to be told. Places, people and events that happened over the last 160 years have been forgotten, neglected or repressed, and that’s what I am most interested in. The story of Will Brown is one such story. It represents the ugly, hateful history of this city that has driven a lot of today’s violence, ignorance and pain that has prevented North Omaha from moving forward. Here is a powerful video featuring the lynching of Will Brown, and I highly recommend you watch the entirety of it. There is graphic content.   You Might Like… … Continue reading A History of the 1919 Lynching and Riot in Omaha

Benson, Black History, Carter Lake, Civic Infrastructure, East Omaha, Florence, Fontenelle Boulevard, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, Near North Side, Omaha, Racism, Saratoga, schools, White flight50 Comments
Schools in North Omaha, from upper left: Fort Street Special School; Long School classroom; Pershing School; Florence School; Lake School; Florence School bus; Saratoga School; Florence School classroom; Monmouth Park School; Long School; Lake School students; Miller Park School

A History of Schools in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

If walls could talk, North Omaha’s schools would be much noisier, much more colorful, and much more complicated than anyone wants to hear. For more than 150 years, schools throughout the community have served students of all ages. With a deep history including segregation and school violence, its can be hard to remember all the positive people and events that emerged in the community’s schools. Following is my ever-growing history of the old schools in North Omaha. Continue reading A History of Schools in North Omaha

Architecture, Benson, Carter Lake, East Omaha, Florence, Fontenelle Boulevard, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, Near North Side, Omaha, Politics, Race riot, Racism, Saratoga18 Comments
A map of historic neighborhoods in North Omaha, Nebraska

Historical Tour of North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Following is a list of places I would visit on a long, winding North Omaha history tour. If you have anything you would like me to write about, add, or otherwise know, please share here. I LOVE NORTH O! These are listed by neighborhood, starting at Dodge Street and heading northwards. Note that all links go to articles I created, either on Wikipedia or on this blog. Continue reading Historical Tour of North Omaha