Browse Items (17 total)

Anna Mae Winburn, an Omaha native, became the featured singer for the Sweethearts of Rhythm, an influential early group for female musicians.

Patricia Barron’s father, Basie Givens, was a prominent bass player and band leader in Omaha during the 1940s-1960s. He was in a number of bands throughout his life, and his orchestra gained regional notoriety.

Patricia Barron’s father, Basie Givens, was a prominent bass player and band leader in Omaha during the 1940s-1960s. He was in a number of bands throughout his life, and his orchestra, pictured here, gained regional notoriety.

In 2010, Big Mama's Kitchen was featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," a popular cable television food show. This large poster is on display at Big Mama’s, and shows her at the restaurant with the show’s host, Guy Fieri. The episode featuring…

Patricia Barron's father, Basie Givens, outside the family home.

Patricia Barron created Big Mama's Kitchen to provide traditional African American home-cooking and a comfortable atmosphere in North Omaha. Several dishes are based on family recipes and named after local landmarks. Big Mama's Kitchen is also an…

This promotional photo of the "Cats of Rhythm" before their performance at the Dreamland Ballroom in 1943-44. The band featured Betty Givens on vocals and Joe Genovesie on sax.

Dan Desdunes was a prominent jazz musician and band leader when he moved to Omaha from New Orleans just after the turn of the twentieth century. In Omaha, he directed several bands and trained the younger generation of bandleaders in Omaha. The Dan…

Following the historic electoral victory of Barack Obama, the nation's first African American president, a local resident created this work of art. The painting commemorates the important moment in American history and features Dr. Martin Luther King…