Black History in Nebraska

Don Benning: UNO Hall of Famer, College wrestling coach at Omaha University - He was the first African-American head coach in a predominately white university in the United States and was the first full-time Black faculty member at Omaha University. https://nwhof.org/news/wrestling-loses-pioneer-wrestling-coach-benning; https://obituaries.roedermortuary.com/donald-r-benning

Marlin Briscoe: Athlete/First Black quarterback in the AFL.  https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/the-making-of-the-magician-marlin-briscoe-s-pioneering-path-in-pro-football https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlin_Briscoe

Linda Brown: Omaha's first Black female firefighter. https://www.ops.org/Page/1824

Mildred Brown: Journalist, Civil Rights Movement leader, and newspaper publisher.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildred_Brown; https://nebraskastudies.org/en/1925-1949/mildred-brown-omaha-star-founder/; https://history.nebraska.gov/mildred-brown-and-the-de-porres-club-collective-activism-in-omaha/

Celeste Butler: Artist/Quilter. https://celestebutlerart.com/; https://www.u-ca.org/fellowship/celeste-butler-1

Ernie Chambers: Politician. https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/black-history-month-profile-series-ernie-chambers; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Chambers

Tanya Cook: Politician. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanya_Cook; https://ballotpedia.org/Tanya_Cook

Terence "Bud" Crawford: Professional Boxer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_Crawford; https://www.premierboxingchampions.com/terence-crawford

Edward Danner: "The lone Black legislator in the Nebraska Unicameral during the U.S. Civil Rights era of the 1960s." https://nebraskalegislature.gov/education/danner.php; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Danner

Aaron Davis: Professional Speaker, coach, trainer, and attitude expert. https://www.aarondavis.co/about

Alfonza W. Davis: First Black military aviator from Omaha to receive his wings from Tuskegee Field. https://www.ops.org/domain/983

Elizabeth Davis Pittman: First Black judge and first female judge in Nebraska. https://www.ops.org/Page/1892; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Pittman

Aaron Douglas: Artist. https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.38654.html

Harold Dow: Television news correspondent, journalist. First Black television reporter.   https://www.cbsnews.com/news/harold-dow-veteran-cbs-news-correspondent-dies/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Dow 

Katherine Fletcher: Educator, first Black principal of a suburban Omaha elementary school.  https://omaha.com/news/longtime-omaha-educator-katherine-fletcher-96-was-very-ladylike-but-fun-loving/article_5142d60e-5962-5090-b732-5079969dd0d6.html

Bob Gibson: Athlete/Baseball. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Gibson

John L. Harrison, Jr.: Tuskegee Airman: https://phillyredtails.org/chief-charles-alfred-anderson-1907-1996/

Zanzye H.A. Hill: Lawyer. First Black woman to earn a law degree from the University of Nebraska. https://news.unl.edu/article/law-grad-a-trailblazer-for-black-women; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanzye_H.A._Hill

Cathy Hughes: Entrepreneur, radio and television personality. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathy_Hughes; https://cathyhughes.com/

Maurtice Ivy: Athlete, coach, mentor.  https://huskers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/player/maurtice-ivy; https://www.ivyleaguesportsacademy.org/maurtice

John Johnson: Photographer.  https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/john-johnson-1879-1953-and-earl-mcwiliams/ https://mona.unk.edu/mona/john-johnson-1879-1953/

Edwina "Curlie" Justus: First African American woman locomotive engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/people-african-american-history/edwina-curlie-justus-1943/

Lela Knox Shanks: Author. https://nebraskaauthors.org/authors/lela-knox-shanks

Preston Love Sr.: Musician. https://omahafreedomfestival.com/the-blog/from-omaha-to-hollywood-the-incredible-journey-of-musician-preston-love-sr/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Love

Precious McKesson: Political official and activist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precious_McKesson

Buddy Miles: Musician. https://buddymiles.com/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Miles

Woodrow F. Morgan: Tuskegee Airman. https://cafriseabove.org/woodrow-f-morgan/

Ralph Orduna: Tuskegee Airman. https://historyharvest.unl.edu/collections/show/4; https://cafriseabove.org/ralph-orduna/

Joshua Redwine: Photographer https://www.joshuaredwine.com/; https://aobfineart.com/artist/joshua-redwine

Silas Robbins: Lawyer. First Black man to practice law in Nebraska. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silas_Robbins; https://northomahahistory.com/2019/02/19/a-biography-of-silas-robbins/

Jewel Rodgers: 2025-2029 State Poet of Nebraska. https://www.jewelrodgers.info/; https://governor.nebraska.gov/gov-pillen-announces-jewel-rodgers-nebraska-state-poet

Johnny Rodgers: 1972 Heisman Award. https://www.heisman.com/heisman-winners/johnny-rodgers/;  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Rodgers

Mike Rozier: 1983 Heisman Award. https://www.heisman.com/heisman-winners/mike-rozier/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Rozier

Symone Sanders: American political strategist and political commentator https://www.symonedsanders.com/

Lucille Skaggs Edwards: Journalist and suffragist, the first African American woman magazine publisher in Nebraska. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_Skaggs_Edwards; https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/people-african-american-history/lucille-boynton-skaggs-edwards-1875-1972/

Rudolph "Rudy" Smith: Journalist and photographer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Smith; https://mona.unk.edu/mona/rudy-smith/

Patty Talbert: Artist. https://www.aobfineart.com/artist/patty-talbert; https://www.u-ca.org/fellowship/patty-talbert

Gabrielle Union: American actress, activist, and entrepreneur. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabrielle_Union

Charles B. Washington: Civil Rights activist, journalist, and mentor.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_B._Washington; 

Clarence W. Wigington: Architect. Nation's first Black municipal architect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_W._Wigington; https://aaregistry.org/story/cap-wigington-was-a-midwestern-architect/

Jevon Woods: Artist. https://www.jevonwoods.com/about; https://boldjourney.com/meet-jevon-woods/?doing_wp_cron=1737570564.2312200069427490234375

Malcom X: Human Rights Activist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/malcolm-x

Whitney Young: American Civil Rights leader. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney_Young https://history.nebraska.gov/publications_section/young-whitney-jr/

Additional Resources: 

https://blackamericaweb.com/2024/08/19/famous-black-people-from-nebraska/

https://history.nebraska.gov/the-new-negro-movement-in-lincoln-nebraska/

https://northomahahistory.com/2018/02/22/african-american-firsts-in-omaha/

https://inbriefonline.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/notable-african-americans-in-nebraska-history/