Browse Items (179 total)

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

Janice Cleary discussed a few of the pieces of sheet music she shared with History Harvest. Mrs. Cleary brought in several pieces with connections to Omaha, NE, but her entire collection contains nearly 50,000 pieces of American popular music. In…

Ralph Orduna’s son, Philip Orduna Reis, discussed his father’s life and displayed some artifacts from his time at the Martin Bomber Plant and his service in the US Army Air Corps as a Tuskeegee Airman. You can find this and other…

Mr. Taylor presents two artifacts from his maternal great-great-grandmother: a metal folding cup and a penny. Both items belonged to her during her time of enslavement in Mississippi, and were passed down to him from his great aunt, who also created…

This photograph shows a lively crowd dancing to the music at The Dreamland Ballroom during the late 1940s. The Dreamland Ballroom was a popular music venue located in the heart of North Omaha and hosted many local and nationally-renowned musical…

This Congressional Gold Medal was presented to Ralph Orduna’s family by Congressman Lee Terry in 2006. The medals were awarded to all members of the Tuskeegee Airmen by the United States Congress, and issued by the United States Mint. The…