North Omaha is a community area in
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...
, in the United States. It is bordered by Cuming and
Dodge Streets on the south,
Interstate 680 on the north, North 72nd Street on the west and the
Missouri River
The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...
and
Carter Lake, Iowa on the east, as defined by the
University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) is a public university, public research university in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded in 1908 by faculty from the Presbyterian Theological Seminary (Omaha, Nebraska), Omaha Presbyterian Theological ...
and the Omaha
Chamber of Commerce
A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...
.
Located just north of
Downtown Omaha
Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area, U.S. state of Nebraska. The boundaries are Omaha, Nebraska, Omaha's 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east ...
, the community includes some of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, including the
Near North Side,
Bemis Park,
Saratoga and
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
. It is the site of the Mormon Pioneers'
Winter Quarters and the Mormon Temple, a center of European immigration as well as the historically significant
African-American community, and the birthplace of
Malcolm X
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
. Important
landmarks in the community include the
Bank of Florence,
Prospect Hill Cemetery and the
Fort Omaha Historical District.
In 2006, North Omaha became the focus of national attention after local
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature.
History
There are typically fewer state senators than there ...
Ernie Chambers introduced an amendment to divide the
Omaha school system into three, which some observers suggested would have created ''de facto''
segregated school systems based on residential patterns. The measure was eventually repealed.
History
North Omaha has a recorded history extending to 1812 with the founding of
Fort Lisa by Manuel Lisa. The area was home to
Cabanne's Trading Post from the 1820s through the 40s, and in 1846 became home to two encampments that were some 3½ miles apart from one another:
Cutler's Park and
Winter Quarters. This whole area became part of what is now the city of
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...
.
When Omaha City was founded in 1854 the boundaries were around the present-day
downtown core
The Downtown Core is the historical and downtown centre of the city-state of Singapore and the main commercial area in Singapore excluding reclaimed lands with two integrated resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive buil ...
.
Prospect Hill Cemetery, a North Omaha landmark, was founded on a high hill on the outskirts of Omaha in 1856, and with more than 15,000 burials it included many of the
founding figures of Omaha, as well as soldiers from nearby
Fort Omaha, immigrants, and many
black people
Black is a racial classification of people, usually a political and skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid- to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have dark skin and often additional phenotypical ...
who worked throughout the city.
During the initial period of Omaha history there were a number of outlying towns surrounding it, many of which were located in present-day North Omaha, including
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
,
East Omaha, and
Saratoga, all of which were settled within a few years of Omaha.
Scriptown was a
land grab by early legislators of the
Nebraska Territory
The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Nebraska. The Nebrask ...
who sought to award themselves for working for the new territory. Casey's Row was a small neighborhood of Black porters who worked for the
local railroads. Squatter's Row was an area between North 11th and North 13th Streets, from Nicholas to Locust Streets, behind the
Storz Brewery. For more than 75 years this area was inhabited solely by
squatter
Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building (usually residential) that the squatter does not Land ownership and tenure, own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estima ...
s. Before the city of Omaha extended north beyond Lake Street, mostly Irish settlers inhabited an area known as Gophertown, located north of Saratoga and south of Florence. The towns of
Benson and
Dundee
Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
, both in North Omaha, were suburbs of Omaha founded in the 1880s.
Fort Omaha was a
U.S. Army installation that was built starting in 1878, and was home to the
Department of the Platte
The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho. With headquarters in Oma ...
. Growth in North Omaha was spurred by the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad and railyards to the east.
The grand
Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition was a
world's fair
A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition, is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specific site for a perio ...
held in North Omaha from June through November 1898. It attracted more than 1,000,000 visitors to the area in and surrounding
Kountze Park, which won the location over other areas, including the
Miller Park neighborhood. The Expo featured many events in the community, including performances by
Buffalo Bill
William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age ...
's
Wild West Show at the
Omaha Driving Park, where it was founded several years prior. In 1909
Omaha University opened in the
Redick Mansion in the Kountze Place neighborhood.
Perhaps the most important community, if not the most visible, in all of North Omaha was the
Near North Side. This neighborhood was one of the first in Omaha, emerging in the 1860s as a home to the city's influx of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
and
Irish. In the later 19th century, they were joined by eastern European
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
immigrants and
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
migrants from the South. The bustling corridors of North 24th Street and North 16th Street were long the centers of important commercial and social activity.
From the 1920s through the 1950s
North 24th Street was seen as a "Street of Dreams" where the city's African-American culture thrived. It was home to such important locations at the
Dreamland Ballroom, and fostered a variety of social and political developments, including the founding of the
Hamitic League of the World. Omaha had early chapters of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
and the
National Urban League
The National Urban League (NUL), formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan historic civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of economic and social justice for Afri ...
. The early years of noted
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African-American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the ti ...
writer
Wallace Thurman were spent in the Near North Side, and Jewish feminist author
Tillie Olsen grew up in the neighborhood. During this period
Malcolm X
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
was born in the neighborhood.
After restructuring of railroads and the meatpacking industries, massive job loss resulted in poverty and social unrest. In the 1960s and 70s
three major riots tore apart the North 24th Street corridor. One broke out after the
assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968. With lower tax revenue because of job losses, the city had neglected many of the neighborhoods, leading to decreased
police
The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
response times, decreased funding for
education in the community, decreased support for youth and community programs, and other problems. A 1966
documentary film
A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...
entitled ''
A Time for Burning'' highlighted the
racial tension
An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more ethnic groups. While the source of the conflict may be political, social, economic or religious, the individuals in conflict must expressly fight for their ethnic group's position within so ...
which had been driving
white flight
The white flight, also known as white exodus, is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the Racism ...
from the community for the two previous decades. That film portrayed a young
Ernie Chambers. A barber who later earned a law degree, in 1970 Chambers started his service as the longest serving
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature.
History
There are typically fewer state senators than there ...
in the
history of Nebraska.
That year's
Rice/Poindexter Case proved controversial as two leaders of Omaha's
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party (originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was a Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist and Black Power movement, black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newto ...
were sentenced to life in prison for bombing a house in which a policeman was killed. Contention spread throughout the 1970s, when, according to one government agency, "Construction of the
North Omaha Freeway, coupled with social unrest in the 1970s, greatly impacted the North Omaha area. One neighborhood experienced a 30 percent housing loss and major increase in crime." However, North Omaha has not seen another riot since 1970.
In the 1990s the
Omaha Housing Authority
Omaha Housing Authority,, is the government agency responsible for providing public housing in Omaha, Nebraska. It is the parent organization of Housing in Omaha, Inc., a nonprofit property developer, housing developer for low-income housing.
Abo ...
demolished the
Logan Fontenelle Housing Project
The Logan Fontenelle Housing Project was a historic public housing site located from 20th to 24th Streets, and from Paul to Seward Streets in the historic Near North Side neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It was built in 1938 by the ...
in North Omaha. Built in the 1930s by the
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to car ...
as improved housing for working families, by the late 20th century, the project was called "Little Vietnam" because of its association with gangs, violence and drug dealing.
Notable figures
North Omaha has been the birthplace and home of many figures of national and local import. They include Jewish-American author
Tillie Olsen, who was a labor organizer in a packinghouse and wrote about women and the poor working class;
Whitney Young
Whitney Moore Young Jr. (July 31, 1921 – March 11, 1971) was an American civil rights leader. Trained as a social worker, he spent most of his career working to end employment discrimination in the United States and turning the National Urba ...
, an important
civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...
leader and later national director of the Urban League; the Nebraska State Senator
Ernie Chambers; actor
John Beasley; and actress
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade ( Union; born October 29, 1972) is an American actress. Her career began in the 1990s, when she made dozens of appearances on television sitcoms, prior to landing supporting roles in 1999 teen films '' She's All That ...
.
Malcolm X
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
was born there in the early 1920s but his family moved away before he was a year old.
Singer
Wynonie Harris
Wynonie Harris (August 24, 1915 – June 14, 1969) was an American blues shouter best remembered as a singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. He had fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952. Harris is attributed by ...
, saxophonist
Preston Love, Jack Coleman Jr., and drummer
Buddy Miles all called North Omaha home. Businesswoman
Cathy Hughes is from North Omaha. The community was also the native home of several sports stars, including
Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson
Robert Gibson (November 9, 1935October 2, 2020), nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot", was an American baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1959 to 1975. Known for his fiercely competi ...
, football player
Johnny Rodgers
Johnny Steven Rodgers (born July 5, 1951) is an American former professional football player. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and won the Heisman Trophy in 1972. Rodgers played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) w ...
, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Chicago Bears
Gale Sayers, Houston Texans starting running back
Ahman Green, Former lightweight, Former unified Super lightweight and current WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford and basketball player
Bob Boozer.
Landmarks
Due to its diverse history, North Omaha is home to numerous historical and modern landmarks. There are many buildings listed on the
Registered Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
and designated
Omaha Landmarks
This article covers Omaha landmarks designated by the City of Omaha Landmark Heritage Preservation Commission. In addition, it includes structures or buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places and those few designated as Natio ...
within its boundaries. These include the 1856
Bank of Florence, which is the oldest standing building in Omaha; the 1892
Florence Boulevard, part of
H.W.W. Cleveland's grand
boulevard scheme for Omaha, and; the 1897
the Sherman, the oldest standing
apartment
An apartment (American English, Canadian English), flat (British English, Indian English, South African English), tenement (Scots English), or unit (Australian English) is a self-contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that ...
building in Omaha.
African-American community leader
Jack Broomfield commissioned noted
African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
architect
Clarence W. Wigington to design the
Broomfield Rowhouse in 1913 after the
Easter Sunday Tornado ravaged much of North Omaha. This building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
Neighborhoods
There are more than 50 defined historic neighborhoods in North Omaha today. The oldest neighborhoods in North Omaha were established between 1856 and 1900. They include
Bemis Park,
Gifford Park,
Gold Coast,
Kountze Place,
Miller Park
American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Located southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 in Wisconsin, Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard, it is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Brewe ...
,
Walnut Hill and
Orchard Hill.
Some of the oldest neighborhoods in North Omaha today were originally hamlets, villages or towns of their own. They include
Saratoga, established by real estate speculators and abandoned by 1857; Briggs, a whistle stop on the
Omaha Road heading north to
Blair, Nebraska
Blair is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,990 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Blair is a part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, Omaha-Council Bluffs Me ...
;
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
, once a contender for the Nebraska Territorial capital; and others.
There are several North Omaha neighborhoods listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
as
historic districts
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from ce ...
including the
24th and Lake Historic District,
Benson Downtown Historic District,
Country Club Historic District,
Dundee–Happy Hollow Historic District,
Florence Main Street Historic District,
Fairacres Historic District,
Fort Omaha Historic District,
Minne Lusa Residential Historic District, and the
Nicholas Street Historic District.
Architecture
Houses built in
Queen Anne,
Arts and Crafts
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the Decorative arts, decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and ...
,
Romanesque Revival
Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended t ...
and
Classical Revival
Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. Neoclassic ...
styles in the late 19th century and early 20th century occupy several neighborhoods throughout Omaha.
Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture is a architectural style, style that began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, ...
commercial buildings and a Spanish Renaissance Revival church represent the reverence many architects held for history. Buildings in the 20th century
Prairie School
Prairie School is a late 19th and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped i ...
and work by
Thomas Rogers Kimball represented a more modern perspective. The area is also home to many modern developments.
Race relations
Because of its troubles, many residents of Omaha view the North Omaha community as violent, poor, and drug-riddled. A recent local news report stated the area was "71 percent Black". Despite positive activities directed at improving North Omaha over the years, including those listed above, local media tend to focus on dramatic stories of racial and economic strife within the community.
Controversy arose from a 2006 spoof aired by a local radio station in which a popular area radio DJ parodied a recent North Omaha tourism promotion campaign, reportedly saying on air, "Discover miles of mayhem, discover
drive-bys, discover gang violence, discover North Omaha." The City Council fought against this portrayal, with North Omaha city councilman
Frank Brown demanding an apology from the radio station because "the spoof paints all residents of north Omaha as criminals."
Historic racial tension
There have been a number of distinct events throughout the history of North Omaha that were caused by racial tension between African Americans and
Caucasians throughout the city. Omaha had events in common with other high-growth, major industrial cities that attracted many new immigrants and migrants, including
lynchings and a race riot in 1919, a period known as
Red Summer
The Red Summer was a period in mid-1919 during which Terrorism in the United States#White nationalism and white supremacy, white supremacist terrorism and Mass racial violence in the United States, racial riots occurred in more than three d ...
because of riots of whites against blacks in numerous cities across the country, due to social tensions after World War I, including competition for jobs and housing. These took place most often between ethnic whites and blacks. Community members have been activists for civil rights from the 1920s through the 1970s; during the 1960s and 1970s, mass protests and grassroots activism became typical. Several bloody and destructive riots within the community took place in the late 1960s.
In the 20th century, some of this tension has been expressed in city policies and relations with the police force. In June 1968, the shooting of a black 14-yr. old teenager named
Vivian Strong by a white Omaha police officer in the
Logan Fontenelle Projects marked the first of a number of incidents between individual members of the African-American community in North Omaha and the
Omaha Police Department
The Omaha Police Department (OPD) is the principal law enforcement agency of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The OPD is the largest law en ...
. Since the late 1980s, there have been a number of
gang
A gang is a social group, group or secret society, society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over Wiktionary:territory#Noun, territory in a ...
-related clashes, as well.
Historic civil rights movement
The early phase of the
civil rights movement in North Omaha goes back to at least 1912, when residents founded a local chapter of the newly established
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
(NAACP). In 1928 the first
Urban League
The National Urban League (NUL), formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan historic civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of economic and social justice for Afri ...
chapter in the western United States was started in
North Omaha. Both of these organizations continue today.
Some industrial unions in Omaha became forces of change, after having excluded blacks in a discriminatory way. Many blacks had worked at the stockyards and other industries in South Omaha. In the 1940s
student
A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution, or more generally, a person who takes a special interest in a subject.
In the United Kingdom and most The Commonwealth, commonwealth countries, a "student" attends ...
and
youth activism
Youth activism is the participation in community organizing for social change by persons between the ages of 15–24. Youth activism has led to a shift in political participation and activism. A notable shift within youth activism is the rise o ...
in North Omaha led to the creation of two unique groups:
Creighton University
Creighton University () is a private research university in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate ...
's
DePorres Club, started in 1947, and the Black Association for Nationalism Through Unity (BANTU), popular through the 1960s. In the summer of 1963, the Citizens Civic Committee for Civil Liberties rallied to demand change and equal rights for all African Americans in Omaha.
While the Omaha civil rights movement did not reach its stated goals of gaining a state law ensuring equal housing opportunities or a separate state law ensuring equal job opportunities, it was successful for raising awareness of the inequities facing African Americans in Omaha. From the film ''
A Time for Burning'' to Senator
Ernie Chambers' recent legislative action, the civil rights movement has had a significant legacy in Omaha. For instance, hiring practices were changed within the police department and city government, where African Americans have gained positions.
Community development
North Omaha has a range of important
community-based organizations
Community organization or community based organization refers to organization aimed at making desired improvements to a community's social health, well-being, and overall functioning. Community organization occurs in geographically, psychosocially ...
and
government programs
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a me ...
conducting
community development
The United Nations defines community development as "a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems." It is a broad concept, applied to the practices of civic leaders, activist ...
,
educational assistance and
low-income housing. Additionally, a series of private and public ventures are developing local businesses in the community.
Housing
Path Concept Homes is a project that concentrates on urban development in the residential area between 25th and Parker; it is funded by the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The PCH plan will serve as a template for other development projects to follow, providing homes which are good for the consumer-friendly and the environmentally conscious. These homes are required to be sold to low-income and minority families. Other organizations providing housing in North Omaha include Holy Name Housing Corporation, Family Housing Advisory Services, Inc. and Rebuilding Together Omaha.
Children and youth
A number of
youth organizations
The following is a list of youth organizations. A youth organization is a type of organization with a focus upon providing activities and socialization for minors. In this list, most organizations are international unless noted otherwise.
...
and
programs serve North Omaha
children
A child () is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking ...
and
youth
Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood (Maturity (psychological), maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as bei ...
. They include the North Omaha B.E.A.R.S. Youth and Sports club. BEARS is an acronym which stands for Building Esteem and Responsibility Systematically and the program combines sports with academics and social enhancement. The Hope Center and Hope Skate are programs aimed at meeting the recreational and social needs of the community's young people. The Safe Haven Community Center is a youth center located at 2895 Binney Street. The North Omaha Boys & Girls Club Jaguars Football Team, North Omaha Christ Child Center, YEP! (Youth Empowerment Program) and
Girls Inc. serve the area as well. The
NorthStar Foundation directs its efforts toward young males.
Health programs
North Omaha is home to several medical institutions. They include
Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy, the
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is a Public university, public Academic health science centre, academic health science center in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1869 and chartered as a private medical college in 1881, UNMC became p ...
, and
Immanuel Medical Center. Charles Drew Health Center also provides a variety of
social services
Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. Also available amachine-converted HTML They may be provided by individuals, private and i ...
to low-income community members, as do many community development programs, such as the historic Urban League of Nebraska; Heartland Family Services-FAST; New Community Development; and the Benson-Ames Alliance Community Plan, which is community-driven planning process for neighborhood revitalization.
North Omaha was affected by
pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...
and harmful
emissions from the American Smelting and Refining Company (which later changed its name to official name to its acronym,
Asarco
ASARCO (American Smelting and Refining Company) is a mining, smelting, and refining company based in Tucson, Arizona, which mines and processes primarily copper. The company has been a subsidiary of Grupo México since 1999.
Its three largest ...
). The windfall from their downtown Omaha plant led to more than in North Omaha being placed on the
Superfund
Superfund is a United States federal environmental remediation program established by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The program is administered by the United States Environmental Pro ...
National Priorities List
The National Priorities List (NPL) is the priority list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial investigation and remedial action (cleanup) financed under the federal Superfund program. Environmental Protec ...
by the
Environmental Protection Agency. As of 2003, were cleaned.
Today North Omaha is the focus of the Lead-Safe Omaha Coalition. As is usual in older homes, there are sources of
lead in older paints and other products which have been found to be harmful. The Coalition offers
lead
Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...
screenings and workshops on hazards of
lead poisoning
Lead poisoning, also known as plumbism and saturnism, is a type of metal poisoning caused by lead in the body. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, constipation, headaches, irritability, memory problems, infertility, numbness and paresthesia, t ...
, safe home evaluations, lead-safe practices workshops, environmental certification training,
HEPA
HEPA (, high efficiency particulate air) filter, also known as a high efficiency particulate arresting filter, is an efficiency standard of air filters.
Filters meeting the HEPA standard must satisfy certain levels of efficiency. Common standa ...
vacuum rental, and the Information Resource Center on Lead to residents through North Omaha.
Economic development
Past industries have included housing component manufacturers, household products manufacturers, railroad industry companies, food manufacturers, and vehicle makers. Companies in these sectors included the Carter White Lead Company, Tip Top Products Company, Tidy House Company,
Union Pacific
The Union Pacific Railroad is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United States after BNSF, ...
,
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad o ...
,
Storz Brewery,
Uncle Sam Breakfast Cereal, Stroud Company, Douglas Motors Corporation,
Overland Tire Rubber Company, and several others.
The North Omaha Development Project is a project of the
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce
Greater may refer to:
*Greatness, the state of being great
*Greater than, in inequality
* ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film
*Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record
* "Greater" (song), by MercyMe, 2014
* Greater Bank, an Australi ...
designed to "bring... business and community leaders together to find ways to positively impact the economic growth of the North Omaha community." It seeks to leverage city, federal and private sector funding to support public infrastructure and economic development. The North Omaha Business Park is located at 24th and Clark Streets the business park is "a joint effort of the Omaha Chamber and the
City of Omaha...
t isa 15 acre development on the former
Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects site." It is home to several businesses, including Wes & Willy's,
Cintas Corporation, Jobosh, Inc., and Armored Knights Company.
Longtime employers in the community include
Lozier Corporation, a manufacturer of store fixtures with a large factory on Pershing Drive, and the ''
Omaha Star,'' which has long been a source of employment and positive news for citizens in North Omaha.
Culture
North Omaha is home to a wide variety of cultural institutions, events and activities that anchor the community. In the 20th century, North Omaha was home to several important cultural venues. They included the
Druid Hall on Ames Avenue, where
Maceo Pinkard performed frequently, and the
Dreamland Ballroom was a historic venue that featured a wide range of national jazz talent, as well as local legends including saxophonist
Preston Love. He said, "North Omaha used to be a hub for black jazz musicians, 'the triple-A league' where national bands would go to find a player to fill out their ensemble."
Early
North Omaha jazz bands included
Dan Desdunes Band, Simon Harrold's Melody Boys, the Sam Turner Orchestra, the Ted Adams Orchestra, and the Omaha Night Owls, as well as Red Perkins and His Original Dixie Ramblers. In 1931
Lloyd Hunter's Serenaders became the first Omaha band to record their music. A Lloyd Hunter concert poster can be seen on display at the Community Center in nearby
Mineola, Iowa.
Nat Towles was a renowned
territory band leader based in Omaha. One of Omaha's most notable musicians of the 1940s was
Anna Mae Winburn. As the leader of North Omaha's
Cotton Club Boys, which included guitarist
Charlie Christian, Winburn traveled the local region as a typical
territorial band. Upon the advice of Jimmie Jewell, owner of the Jewel Building, Winburn left Omaha and hit the "big time" with the
International Sweethearts of Rhythm.
North Omaha's musical culture also gave rise to several nationally and internationally reputable African-American musicians. Influential drummer
Buddy Miles was friends with Love while they grew up and played together. They collaborated throughout their lives, and while they were playing with the greatest names in Rock and Roll, Jazz, R&B and Fund. Funk band leader
Lester Abrams is also from North Omaha. Omaha-born
Wynonie Harris
Wynonie Harris (August 24, 1915 – June 14, 1969) was an American blues shouter best remembered as a singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. He had fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952. Harris is attributed by ...
, one of the founders of
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
, got his start at the North Omaha clubs and for a time lived in the now-demolished Logan Fontenelle Housing Project. Another notable local musician was Lomie Washburn. Born in North Omaha, she went on to write songs and sing backup with such legends as
Chaka Khan
Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan ( ), is an American singer. Known as the " Queen of Funk", her career has spanned more than five decades beginning in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of ...
,
Rufus
Rufus is a masculine given name, a surname, an Ancient Roman cognomen and a nickname (from Latin ''wikt:rufus, rufus'', "red"). Notable people with the name include:
Given name
Politicians
* Marcus Caelius Rufus, (28 May 82 BC – after 48 ...
,
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
and
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
. She and many of the musicians from North Omaha have been inducted in the
Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame.
North Omaha is home to several important annual events that help define and celebrate the community, its history, and its future.
Native Omaha Days is a biennial North Omaha cultural tradition, reuniting members of the city's African-American community. The Days are commemorated with a variety of events, including the Evergreen Reunion, named after
a town in Alabama from where many families' ancestors migrated. Other annual activities include the
Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States, federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the End of slavery in the United States, ending of slavery in the United States. The holiday's n ...
Parade, to mark Emancipation; the Fort Omaha Intertribal Powwow; the
Omaha Blues, Jazz & Gospel Festival, Florence Days, and the
Omaha North High School Homecoming, which includes a parade for the community. The Stone Soul Picnic is also an important annual event in the community.
Religion
With its long history of migration from other regions and immigration from other countries, North Omaha has developed a rich religious tapestry representing the range of faith in Nebraska today. The diversity includes its Mormon roots in Florence, as well as the historic locations of Jewish synagogues established by European immigrants in the Near North Side. Several African-American congregations are located in the area, including the historic
St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Church, St.Benedict the Moor Catholic Church, and
Salem Baptist Church.
Historic Christian denominations once or currently represented in the community include Methodists, Baptists, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Church of God in Christ, and Lutherans, as well as non-denominational congregations and others. There is also an Anglican church in North Omaha, as well as Mennonite, Church of Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventists, and others. Historic former religious institutions located in North Omaha include a Catholic St. Clare’s Monastery, the
Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary, schools, hospitals and others.
Today, the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection on 30th Street by Miller Park is an integrated Episcopal parish. Hope Lutheran Church is Nebraska's only African American Lutheran congregation. The
Holy Family Catholic Church is the oldest surviving Catholic church in Omaha.
St. Cecilia Cathedral, designed by
Thomas Rogers Kimball, took more than fifty years to build. Evidence of the community's Jewish history can also been seen at the
Pleasant Hill Cemetery or the
Golden Hill Cemetery, while Christian burials have long been held at
Prospect Hill Cemetery,
Forest Lawn Memorial Park and the historic poor cemetery called
Potter's Field.
Education
Education has been a key to the community for several generations. The first public school in Omaha was opened in
Jefferson Square Park at the heart of the Near North Side neighborhood when it opened in 1867. According to a local historian, the community has been home to more than 100 schools throughout its history.
Some of the former public schools in Omaha include Webster Grade School, Pershing Grade School, Beechwood Grade School, Lake Grade School, Long Grade School, Nathan Hale Junior High, and
Tech High, once the largest
technical education
A vocational school (alternatively known as a trade school, or technical school), is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary education#List of tech ed skills, secondary or post-secondar ...
high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
in the
Western United States
The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau.
As American settlement i ...
. Each of these buildings and many others are closed, and some have been repurposed while others have been demolished.
The North Omaha community has played host to several institutions of higher education. After an early proposal to establish the first University of Nebraska in 1863 in the Saratoga neighborhood, in 1909
Omaha University was founded nearby along North 24th Street, and their football team once played on the field at Saratoga School. Several other higher education institutions were started in North Omaha too, including the
Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary, once located in the heart of the Kountze Place neighborhood. It closed permanently in 1947.
Grace University
Grace University was a private Christian university in Omaha, Nebraska. The university included undergraduate programs and the Grace University College of Professional and Graduate Studies. The university ceased all academic operations in May 2 ...
, which closed in 2018, was opened in North Omaha for a school year in 1947-48. From 1908 to 1968,
Duchesne College was located there. Several
nursing school
Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...
s were located in North Omaha as well, including the
Immanuel Deaconess Institute School of Nursing that operated from 1891 to 1974, and the Evangelical Covenant Hospital nursing school graduated nurses from 1906 to 1937.
Today, education institutions remaining in North Omaha include
Creighton University
Creighton University () is a private research university in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate ...
and the
Metropolitan Community College (Omaha) located at
Fort Omaha. The community continues to be served by
Omaha Public Schools, including the local feeder high school,
Omaha North High School as well as
Benson High.
Libraries
The
Omaha Public Library has several branches located in North Omaha. The
Charles B. Washington Branch is located at 2868 Ames Avenue. The Benson Branch is located at 6015 Binney Street, and Florence Branch is at at 2920 Bondesson Street.
There are also libraries at Creighton University and Metro Community College at Fort Omaha.
Transportation
North Omaha has several main arterials. The major routes running north and south are Abbott Drive, North 16th Street (also called Sherman Avenue),
North 24th Street (locally called "The Deuce"), North 30th Street, North 42nd Street, North 52nd Street, North 60th Street and North 72nd Street. Fontenelle Boulevard,
Northwest Radial Highway,
Military Road,
Happy Hollow Boulevard, Country Club Avenue,
John A. Creighton Boulevard and
Saddle Creek Road each run north, south, east and west. Other important streets in the area include Burt and then Cuming Streets, which are the same street, and eventually earn the designation as
Nebraska Highway 64 from North 27th Street west. Hamilton Street, Bedford Avenue,
Sprague Street,
Ames Avenue,
Sorenson Parkway, Fort Street, Martin Avenue, Forest Lawn Avenue and McKinley Street are all important, as well. Lake Street eventually becomes Maple Street, which also spurs off as Military Avenue, all in North Omaha.
Several streets in the area are named after locally, regionally, and nationally important individuals. One of the main thoroughfares is
North 24th Street, which from Cuming Street on the south to Reed Street on the north, is commonly thought to represent North Omaha's greatest historical legacy and hope for the future. North 24th was addressed as Omaha's "Street of Dreams" because of the prosperity and hope it embodied for its early African American, Eastern European and Jewish residents.
Florence Boulevard,
Lincoln Boulevard and Fontenelle Boulevard are three once-highly regarded components of
Omaha's boulevard system that are located in North Omaha.
Several North Omaha traffic ways are named after military interests. They include
Military Road, which is a historic road first laid out in 1854 by the US Army. It starts in North Omaha just off Hamilton at North 45th Street, where it is signed as Military Avenue.
General John J. Pershing Drive was named after the successful
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
U.S. Army leader, and flows from
East Omaha north by
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
, by the historic site of
Fort Lisa and towards
Blair. Similarly, Sherman Avenue, also known as North 16th Street, was named after
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a General officer, general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognit ...
, the commander general of the U.S. Army in charge of the
Indian Wars
The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States of America and Republic of Texas agains ...
. Fort Street between North 30th and North 24th is named for
Fort Omaha.
Sorensen Parkway, a modern contribution to the historic park boulevard system, was named after an Omaha mayor. It was built along an abandoned railroad bed and runs from North 72nd Street to North 30th Street, which is the historic Main Street of
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
. Sorensen is an example of a street in North Omaha which has been renamed; prior to 1996 Sorensen Parkway west of Northampton Boulevard was called Redick Avenue until 72nd Street. That year the city changed the name, and currently Sorensen Parkway travels beyond 72nd Street, continuing to the intersection of Blair High Road and North 90th Street, which is the start of
Nebraska Highway 133.
John A. Creighton Boulevard was named after the brother of
Edward Creighton.
U.S. Highway 75 is a historic highway flowing along North 30th Street to become the North Expressway. This stretch of the highway was the source of much contention in when it was constructed in the 1970s and 80s. As a Nebraska state agency reports, "Construction of the
North Omaha Freeway, coupled with social unrest in the 1970s, greatly impacted the North Omaha area. One neighborhood experienced a 30 percent housing loss and major increase in crime."
Interstate 680 is the north bypass freeway that is a boundary for North Omaha. The
Mormon Bridge is located on this stretch.
Other important streets in the area include Lake Street, Ames Avenue, Cuming Street, State Street, Abbott Drive and North 20th Avenue.
Geography
The historic founding, development and current identification of North Omaha is bound to its geography. Located west of the
Missouri River
The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...
and next to
Carter Lake, North Omaha includes several streams, small lakes, cliffs, and
artesian springs. One historic report identifies a sulphur spring at the "foot of Spencer Street", with another at the "foot of Grand Avenue". The foot is presumed to be where 16th Street meets Commercial Avenue.
"Historical Sketch of Brownell Hall"
Rootsweb, Retrieved 12/26/07.
Neighborhoods
In addition to its many historic neighborhoods, North Omaha has a number of substantial neighborhoods. In successive generations the area has been home to Irish, German, Jewish, Lithuanian and other European immigrants, as well as African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
migrants from across the Southeast. Their community in North Omaha has lasted more than 100 years.
Demographics
Statistics gathered from the 2000 United States Census for the North Omaha area show that by percentages, North Omaha has a population of 43,621 and is 59% African-American, 29% White, 5% Hispanic and 7% other.
In 2003, the African-American population in Omaha was estimated at 52,273 or 13.1 percent of the city's total estimated population of 397,713. African Americans are the largest minority group
The term "minority group" has different meanings, depending on the context. According to common usage, it can be defined simply as a group in society with the least number of individuals, or less than half of a population. Usually a minority g ...
in Omaha, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
.
See also
* List of people from North Omaha, Nebraska
* List of landmarks in North Omaha, Nebraska
Gallery
Image:NE Corner view of Omaha Star Building.jpg, '' Omaha Star'' office at NE corner of 24th & Grant Streets
Image:Webster Telephone Exchange-Afro-American Museum, North Omaha.jpg, Webster Telephone Exchange Building, also used for the 20th-century Great Plains Black Museum
Image:P3160008.JPG, Captain Alfonza Davis commemorative plaque; Tuskegee Airman from N.O.
Image:General George Crook House in Fort Omaha.jpg, General Crook House at Fort Omaha
Image:Mister C's Restaurant Front Entrance.jpg, Now-closed Mister C's, a local landmark restaurant
Image:North Omaha Prospect Hill Cemetery, Nebraska State Historical Marker.jpg, Historical marker for Omaha's pioneer Prospect Hill Cemetery
Image:Fort Omaha Nebraska State Historical Marker; 30th and Fort Streets.jpg, Historical marker for Fort Omaha
Image:Omaha-eppley.jpg, North Omaha above Eppley Airfield and Levi Carter Park
Related publications
* Fletcher Sasse, Adam (2016) ''North Omaha History: Volume 1''. Olympia, WA: CommonAction Publishing.
* Fletcher Sasse, Adam (2016) ''North Omaha History: Volume 2''. Olympia, WA: CommonAction Publishing.
* Fletcher Sasse, Adam (2016) ''North Omaha History: Volume 3''. Olympia, WA: CommonAction Publishing.
* Alexander, C. (1981) ''Rebirth of the Inner City: The North Omaha Plan.'' Center for Environmental Structure.
* (1992) ''The North Omaha Renaissance 2000 Plan.'' Ciaccio Dennell Group Inc.
* (2004) ''Housing Study: Omaha Housing Authority—Population & Housing Demand Profile.''
*(n.d.)
Multiethnic Guide.
' Greater Omaha Economic Partnership.
External links
North Omaha History
website
website
*
The Omaha Star
' website
North Omaha
- a photoset on Flickr
References
{{coord, 41, 19, N, 95, 59, W, format=dms, display=title, type:city_region:US-NE
African-American history in Omaha, Nebraska
Geography of Douglas County, Nebraska
Landmarks in Nebraska
Community areas of Omaha