UNMC and Nebraska Medicine colleagues and students wrapped up Black History Month with a historical tour of North Omaha co-sponsored by Nebraska Medicine, African American Black Association, the UNMC Office of Inclusion, UNMC Office of Community Engagement and the UNMC Student Life Inclusion and Diversity Office.
On Feb. 25, participants joined for a bus tour celebrating the history of North Omaha. Provided by the Institute for Urban Development, the tour was guided by Preston Love Jr., author, Black history professor and founder of the Institute for Urban Development.
North Omaha has a rich cultural, historical and architectural legacy, with revitalization efforts happening throughout the community. Focused on the 24th and 30th Street corridors, the tour opened with orientation at Fabric Lab, a Black-led urban design lab. Stops included the first female African American owned newspaper, The Omaha Star, and the Dreamland Ballroom. The ballroom was the premier spot to host American Jazz legends, including Love’s father, Preston Love Sr.
Highlights of the tour included a group picture in front of “The Ancestor, the Identity, and the Seed” mural by artist Reggie Le Flore, a visit with local business owners Yvonne and Don McPherson at Styles of Evolution and an introduction to Schmeeka Simpson, tour director at the Malcolm X Foundation.
Said Love, “You can tell what is in the heart of a community when you look and see what is painted on the walls.”
Thanks to the Malcolm X Foundation, Malcolm X has been inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame, and the foundation has plans to develop 18.2 acres for neighborhood housing, food sustainability educational opportunities and community entertainment.
The bus tour also focused on the community gardens and murals that display community resilience and innovation, as well as the visible economic devastation the area still grapples with today.
North Omaha is considered a food desert and in need of affordable and sustainable housing solutions, but efforts are being made to change that.
Love believes the most important focus is on what he calls “a new chapter.”
Places such as the Fabric Lab, which is partnering with No More Empty Pots, are helping to bring fresh food to the community. New projects including the 24th and Lake Street mixed-use redevelopment by North End Teleservices are slated to bring affordable housing, restaurants, additional retail and investment to the area.
“Wonderful things are happening,” Love said.
To keep up with what is going on in North Omaha, visit the Empowerment Network, or to book a tour, visit the Institute for Urban Development.
Black History Month was made possible thanks to contributors and sponsors: Nebraska Medicine/UNMC African American Black Alliance, Nebraska Medicine Inclusion and Diversity Office, UNMC Office of Inclusion, UNMC Human Resources, UNMC College of Public Health, the Munroe-Meyer Institute, the UNMC Department of Strategic Communications, SLIDO and Sodexo.
For the latest events and speaking engagements on the med center campus, go to the Nebraska Medicine’s AABA Channel on the NOW page or check out the UNMC Office of Inclusion’s ENGAGE page.
Thank you to the UNMC Office of Community Engagement for your partnership as well.