On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I wanted to share a bit of local history around the minister, activist, and leader of the civil rights movement.
Dr. King visited Omaha in June 1958 in order to attend the National Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress where he gave a speech to 18,000 – at the time the second largest in Omaha. He was elected vice president of the organization.
In 2024, Martin Luther King III stopped in Omaha to celebrate the 61st anniversary of his father’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The event was held at the Great Plains Black History Museum.
Places and sites in Omaha that honor Dr. King include the following:
- The Martin Luther King Cornerstone Memorial at 24th and Lake. Built in 2001, the 8-ft tall memorial made from black granite from Zimbabwe was recently refreshed with a new concrete base, brick and new pavers.
- King Elementary school at 3706 Maple St. built in 1973.
- King Science & Technology Middle School at 3720 Florence Blvd built in 1969.
- Built in 2004 the Martin Luther King Jr pedestrian bridge that connects Heartland of America Park and Lewis & Clark Landing in North Downtown at 447 Riverfront Dr.
To celebrate, Durham Museum is offering free admission today where it is highlighting his legacy and message of peace, tolerance, community service and an inclusive, hopeful future for everyone.
You can also check out The Great Plains Black History Museum exhibit Black and White in Black and White. The museum’s regular hours are Wed-Sat from 1-5 in the historic Jewell Building at 2221 N 24th St. Admission to the museum is always free. See the link below to view the virtual exhibit:
https://gpblackhistorymuseum.org/
Check out the link below for other ways to celebrate the life of Dr. King:
Let me know if there’s something you want to learn more about. In the meantime, keep exploring!
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