Great Plains Black History Museum |

Welcome to the

Great Plains
Black History Museum

Our mission is to preserve, educate, and exhibit the contributions and achievements of African Americans with an emphasis on the Great Plains region, as well as provide a space to learn, explore, reflect and remember our history.

Book Appointment

On Exhibit

Great Plains Black History Museum is proud to host rotating exhibitions throughout the year. Below, you’ll find details for our in-person and online exhibitions.

Online Exhibits

Black and White in Black and White

Virtual Gallery

This virtual exhibition reveals the dignity and hope of African Americans in early 20th‑century America. In 1965, 16‑year‑old Doug Keister acquired 280 glass plate negatives, originally found at a local garage sale. He immediately made prints from some of the plates, revealing powerful, early 20th-century portraits of African Americans in Lincoln, Nebraska. These astonishing images are now on display in a virtual exhibition curated by Keister.

VIEW ONLINE EXHIBIT

In-Person Exhibits

Hate & Hope – Permanent Display
The Great Plains Black History Museum invites you to tour its Hate & Hope Exhibit. This exhibit focuses on the ugly part of history in the Great Plains and positive events in Omaha, as well as other parts of America. The Hate exhibit displays the history of lynchings throughout the Great Plains of America. The Hope exhibit features Mrs. Bertha Calloway, the founder of the GPBHM, information on the first African American film company, and other accomplishments of African Americans.

24th & Glory – Permanent Display
Through photos and artifacts that features Johnny “The Jett” Rodgers’ Heisman Trophy. The exhibit looks at the intersection of civil rights and Omaha’s greatest generation of athletes to come out of one community.

African American History Through Street Signs – Permanent Display
African American History Through Street Signs exhibit will focus on all the streets in Omaha, Nebraska that have been named after African Americans, and will also feature QRC codes are placed on the signs throughout Omaha to learn more about each individual online.

The Deporres Club A Head of Their Time – January 29 to March 29, 2025
Before Civil Rights heroes like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King made their courageous stands, before the creation of the iconic images that represent the struggle against racism in the United States – before there even was a Civil Rights Movement – there was the story of the Omaha DePorres Club. The DePorres Club’s pioneering efforts not only challenged racial discrimination and segregation, but aimed to convince people that the two were morally wrong – sins that demanded attention.

Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow – April 2 to May 31, 2025
Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow explores the struggle for full citizenship and racial equality that unfolded in the 50 years after the Civil War. By 1868, all persons born in the United States were citizens and equal before the law. But, efforts to create an interracial democracy were contested from the start. A harsh backlash ensued, ushering in the “separate but equal” age of Jim Crow.

A League of our Own Negro League Baseball – June 4 to July 5, 2025
A League of Our Own, The Negro League Baseball Exhibit. It is said that in 1839, Abner Doubleday invented the game of baseball, but today’s game should be credited to Alexander Joy Cartwright. In 1845, Cartwright added the “diamond-shaped infield, foul lines, and the three-strike rule.” In 1920, Major League Baseball was founded, but their league did not allow African Americans to participate. So, that very same year, we established a League of Our Own, the Negro Baseball League.

A Night at the Dreamland Ballroom the History of Jazz in Omaha – July 9 to August 16, 2025
The Dreamland Ballroom was the heart of Jazz in Omaha, during its hey-day it hosted some of the greatest Jazz acts of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. On any given night you could see Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, The Nat King Cole Trio, Preston Love Sr., The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, and Little Esther Phillips. Red, Perkings, Nat Towles, and many others. They performed at the Carnation Ballroom, Jim Bell’s Club Harlem, Cotton Club, Allen Showcase, The Off Beat, all part of Omaha’s Jazz humb.

The March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom – August 20 to October 4, 2025
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom exhibit, in remembrance of the Dream. On August 28, 1963, the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement were responsible for conducting the largest demonstration ever seen in our nation’s capital.

Tuskegee Airmen & Those Who Served AA in Military – October 8, 2024 to January 1, 2026
Tuskegee Airmen Who Called Nebraska Home & African Americans Who Served Exhibit. This exhibit looks at the Tuskegee Airmen who lived in Nebraska and local African Americans who served in the Military.

The History of Kwanzaa – December 3, 2025 to January 1, 2026
The History of Kwanzaa exhibit celebrates the history of its founder Dr. Maulana Karenga, and its seven principles and symbols.

GPBHM 2025 Events

HBCU College Fair – Friday, February 21st, 5 PM to 7 PM
Legacy Quest A Black History Month Scavenger Hunt – Saturday, February 22nd, 1 PM to 3 PM
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Wreath Laying Ceremony – Sunday, March 30th, TBD
Native Omaha Days – Monday, July 28th to Sunday, August 3rd
March on Washington Celebration – Saturday, August 23rd, 12 PM to 4 PM
Fall Feast – Saturday, October 11th, 12 PM to 4 PM
Veterans Day Celebrating African Americans Who Served – Tuesday, November 11th, 12 PM to 3 PM
Christmas in the Village – Saturday, December 6th, 12 PM to 5 PM
Kwanzaa Celebration – Friday, December 26th to Thursday, January 1st, 12 PM to 1 PM daily

Become a Member

Purchasing an annual membership means supporting our exhibitions and gaining access to members-only benefits, like invitations to special events and a 10% discount on our merchandise. You’ll receive an official membership card within two weeks of your purchase, but you can visit the museum any time before then.

Student: $10

Single: $20

Family: $40

Business: $100

Lifetime: $500

Please contact the museum if you would like to gift a membership.

About Great Plains Black History Museum

For the past 40 years, the Great Plains Black History Museum has been an important institution dedicated to publicizing and preserving the achievements of the region’s vibrant African American heritage. We welcome the African American community, regional residents and schools, and Omaha-area visitors.

Vision

We collect and preserve materials documenting the Black experience while making these available to the public. We are an educational resource available for schools, inspiring learning through our permanent collection, exhibitions, and programs. We aim to generate growth in North Omaha and to facilitate research, instruction, and artistic expression adhering to authenticity and truthfulness in presentation.

Dear Friends of the Great Plains Black History Museum,

In 1975, Mrs. Bertha Calloway envisioned sharing the rich history of African Americans with the Omaha community. She founded the Great Plains Black History Museum (GPBHM) to be a resource for the community.

Recently, America has experienced unrest due to senseless injustice and racial violence. Once again, America is at a crossroads as it struggles to make sense of the racial abuse of its African American citizens. The board of directors & staff of the Great Plains Black History Museum would like to express our deepest sympathy to the families who have lost their loved ones during these times of unrest.

We at the Great Plains Black History Museum know that now is the time to work on the healing process and bring everyone together to make a fair and just environment for all. The great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once stated, “The time is always right to do what is right. We must learn to live together as brothers, or we will perish together as fools.” We at the GPBHM want everyone to know that we are here for you as a resource to help in educating everyone on the history of African Americans to bring people together and encourage the dialogue needed to bridge the divide and bring us together as one.

Eric L. Ewing, Executive Director

Portia Cavitt, Board President