Great Plains Black History Museum

Title

Great Plains Black History Museum

Description

The Great Plains Black History Museum contributed all the items in this collection. The Great Plains Black History Museum is dedicated to commemorating the historical and cultural achievements of people of African ancestry throughout the world. This collection contains items that highlight the rich history of Nebraska's black communities. 

sources

"Great Plains Black History Museum Mission," accessed 19 June 2014, http://gpblackmuseum.org/greathistory/

Source

Great Plains Black History Museum, North Omaha History Harvest 2011

Rights

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Collection Items

1906 University of Nebraska Football team
This is the team photo of the 1906 University of Nebraska football team. The team included two African American players, R.S. Taylor and W. N. Johnson.

Workers at old folks' home
Dating back to the early part of the 20th century, African Americans in Omaha have attempted to band together to provide for the needs and care of the elderly in the community. This image, which dates back to 1913, features several women who worked…

B.J. Martin's Martin Bomber Plant work certificate
This is B.J. Martin's certificate given in recognition of his work at the Martin Bomber Plant during World War II. Many African Americans worked at the Martin Bomber Plant during World War II, helping to make a variety of war-related materials. Work…

Creedo and Pledge of the Omaha, Nebraska Deporres Club
From its founding in 1947 through the 1950s, the DePorres Club was the leading civil rights organization in Omaha. Organized by Fr. John Markoe at Creighton University, this student-led integrationist group led some of the earliest civil rights…

Youths Participating in a Community Clean-up
Coming out of the civil rights era in the mid- and late-1970s, there was a lot of emphasis placed on community improvement and racial uplift. This image of young people participating in a “Community Clean-up Day” captures that spirit.

Omaha, Nebraska's DePorres Club Members Protesting Discriminatory Hiring Practices.
In 1953, the DePorres Club mounted a successful campaign against Reed’s Ice Cream for discriminatory hiring practices. Here, members of the organization picket outside of Reed’s and talk to community members about their protest. Note the sign held…

AFL-CIO Voting Rights Flyer
Undated AFL-CIO voting rights flyer.

Tickets to Omaha's Dreamland Ballroom
North Omaha’s Dreamland Ballroom, located on 24th Street near Lake Street, was a prominent stop on the national and regional jazz and r&b circuit from the 1930s through the 1960s. Most of the leading acts played the Dreamland during these years. Do…

Mrs. Pinkston-Mitchell's Music Students
Florence Pinkston-Mitchell was a prominent piano teacher in North Omaha for many years during the mid-twentieth century. Art and music lessons were an important part of a child’s education for most middle-class African Americans. Over the years,…

Fraternal Order Group Photo
Omaha was home to a wide range of black fraternal groups. The Elks and Masons were particularly strong in the city during the mid-twentieth century. Fraternal groups provided a social outlet, as well as opportunities for community betterment. …
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