Rowena Moore and the Malcolm X Memorial

October 10, 2023

In 1923, Jethro Moore relocated his family from Oklahoma to Omaha after finding employment at a meat packing plant. Like many African Americans of that era, the Moores sought opportunities in northern cities, and Omaha, with its thriving stockyards and railroad industry, offered lots of jobs. This led to a doubling of the African American population in Omaha.

Just two years earlier, Earl Little and his wife Louise also made the move to Omaha. They settled in a small house at 3448 Pinkney Street, near the railroad tracks, where their son, Malcolm, was born in 1925. Little, a Baptist minister and community organizer, served as the president of the Omaha chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association. His activism drew the attention of the Ku Klux Klan, which threatened the family for “spreading trouble.” Fearing for their lives, the Little family relocated to Milwaukee a year later.

The red arrow on this 1939 Sanborn Fire Map shows where Malcom X’s house was located.

Moore, who had left for Detroit for work, returned to Omaha by 1950 and initially lived with his daughter, Rowena, while seeking his own place. Coincidentally, he found a house that had once belonged to the Little family 25 years earlier. Moore, wanting to be close to her ailing father, purchased a neighboring house and nearby empty lots. By the early 1960s, he moved out of the house, and during this time, Malcolm Little had transformed into Malcolm X, becoming a prominent figure in the civil rights movement.

After Jethro’s departure, the house at 3448 Pinkney Street fell into disrepair and was eventually demolished by the owners, who were unaware of its historical significance. This occurred in 1965, the same year Malcolm X was tragically assassinated at the age of 39. It wasn’t until 1970 that Rowena discovered her father’s house had been the birthplace of the civil rights leader.

This 1984 photo shows the sign that was originally placed on Malcolm X’s Birthsite.

Rowena, inspired by Malcolm’s transformative pilgrimage to Mecca in which he abandoned his belief in violence and separation, founded the Malcolm X Foundation in 1971. She personally donated her five lots to be transformed into a memorial. Initially, progress was slow, and she often worked alone to organize events. While a private citizen funded the Gerald Ford memorial in Omaha in 1976, Rowena received no such support. Nevertheless, she succeeded in gaining approval for a historical marker from the State of Nebraska, though it took years to be installed. Undeterred, the foundation expanded its vision, possibly inspired by the establishment of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park in Atlanta.

In 1982, the Malcolm X birthsite was officially designated an Omaha Landmark, and two years later, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Nebraska State Historical Society also installed a marker in the absence of the state’s historical marker, which was finally put in place in 1987.

This is a recent photo that I took of the State Historical Marker at the Malcolm X Birthsite.

Rowena continued to acquire surrounding land over the years, expanding the memorial to 17 acres. Despite its relative emptiness, especially when compared to MLK’s park managed by the National Park Service, the site stands as a testament to her unwavering determination and vision. She continued her work until her passing in 1998. Her long-standing wish for a building on the site was realized in 2010 when the Malcolm X Center was established at 3448 Evans Street. The center hosts lectures, films, plays, forums, receptions, fundraisers, classes, and celebrations.

This is a recent photo I took of the Malcolm X Center at 3448 Evans St.

In 2022, the State of Nebraska selected Malcolm X as its latest inductee into its Hall of Fame, with the formal induction ceremony held in 2024. The committee chair remarked, “Malcolm X used the lessons he learned early in life and his intellectual power, dedication and perseverance in the fight for freedom and equality for all during the Civil Rights Movement in America. His work and his legacy continue to impact the citizens of the world.”

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