The Department of Black Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is proud to celebrate its 50th anniversary in the 2021-22 academic year. Since 1971, Black Studies' faculty and staff have focused our teaching, research, and service on the analysis, critique, and discussion of African continental and diasporic experiences, and the systems of oppression and resistance that characterize those experiences. Through our strategic goals of academic excellence, student centeredness, and community engagement, we continue the long, strong, focused determination of the discipline of Black Studies to counter the narrative of white supremacy and African inferiority.
UNO's Department of Black Studies brings the expertise of sociology, history, communication, race, political science, law and criminology, psychology, education, literature, business and economics, and ancient and contemporary African histories and political experiences. As Africa is the home of humanity, civilization, and society, we believe the knowledge of these is central to the understanding of the whole human experience. We invite you to join us and become part of this great academic adventure as we celebrate our 50th year as the Department of Black Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
2022 Events
| Date | Topic | Recording |
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April 29, 2022 |
Music of the Revolution — the Department of Black Studies and Criss Library Archives & Special Collections celebrated the end of the school year and the final event of the Black Studies’ 50th anniversary. They celebrated with music from the period that the department came into existence, and participants enjoyed food, fun, and fellowship while listening to “The Music of the Revolution”! | N/A |
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April 28, 2022 |
Black Studies Chairs' Roundtable: The Historical Challenges and Future Directions for Black Studies Departments | Watch Now |
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April 26, 2022 |
Black Studies Alumni Panel — this panel featured Felicia Dailey, John Ewing, Kaia Phelps, and Mandla Stelly. | Watch Now |
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April 21, 2022 |
The Impact of Parental Racial Socialization of Black School Children — a lecture presented by Dr. Bridget Cheeks. | Watch Now |
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April 19, 2022 |
Book Salon: A Discussion with Dr. Kerry-Ann Escayg — Dr. Kerry-Ann Escayg discussed her co-authored book, "Don't Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms." | Watch Now |
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April 12, 2022 |
Self-Efficacy in Mathematics: Sources of Math Confidence Among Black College Freshman — a lecture presented by UNO's Dr. Jasmine Watkins. | Watch Now |
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April 9, 2022 |
Fighting for Freedom in the Skies: WWII Black Aviators of the British RAF and the Tuskegee Airmen — this lecture was presented by Ms. Kandace Chimbiri & Dr. Lisa Bratton. | Watch Now |
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April 7, 2022 |
Omaha 54 Panel — In November 1969, the activism and personal sacrifices of the Omaha 54 played a pivotal role in the creation of the Department of Black Studies. Attendees heard from four members of the Omaha 54, including Dr. Karen Hayes Harris, Michael Maroney, Dr. Catherine Pope, and LaVell Williams, Sr. | Watch Now |
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March 31, 2022 |
African Personhood and the Provision of Services to the Black Community - a lecture presented by Dr. Colita Fairfax. | Watch Now |
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March 24, 2022 |
How African Heroic Epics Teach Us About History and Culture: A Case Study of Sundiata and Sarraounia — a talk by Mariam Konaté. | Watch Now |
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March 22, 2022 |
State, Society, and Strategy of Economic Development: An Analysis and Critique of Development Theories in Africa — a lecture presented by Dr. Joseph Akpan, an instructor in the Department of Black Studies at UNO. | Watch Now |
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March 10, 2022 |
The Sentencing Project II: Racial Sentencing Disparities, Female Incarceration, and Community Collateral Damages — Part II of a discussion with The Sentencing Project. | Watch Now |
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March 3, 2022 |
Unsilenced: Rewriting Histories of Slavery from a Florida Prison — a guest lecture presented by Dr. Andy Eisen of Stetson University. | Watch Now |
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March 2, 2022 |
Still Charting our Path: Race, Redlining, and Spatial Justice — Dr. Franklin Thompson, the City of Omaha Human Rights and Relations Director, joined Professor Terri Crawford and Dr. Jennifer Harbour from the UNO Black Studies Department to discuss redlining practices in housing and the services the Department of Human Rights and Relations offers to the Omaha community. | N/A |
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Feb. 24, 2022 |
National Transformation and Violence in South Africa — a guest lecture presented by Dr. Dawne Y. Curry of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln | Watch Now |
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Feb. 17, 2022 |
Critical Issues in Black Women's Studies — a guest lecture presented by Dr. Valethia Watkins of Howard University. | Watch Now |
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Feb. 10, 2022 |
Dispatches from the Barber's Chair: Black Barber Shops, Black Studies, and the Democratic Ideals of Community — a guest lecture presented by Dr. Quincy Mills of the University of Maryland–College Park. | Watch Now |
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Feb. 3, 2022 |
The History of Jazz in Omaha — this conversation featured Dr. Jesse Otto and UNO adjunct professors Justin Payne and Preston Love, Jr. | Watch Now |
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Jan. 27, 2022 |
Major Prolegomena Issues in Black Studies: Past, Present, and Future — a guest lecture presented by Dr. Mario Beatty, an associate professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University. | Watch Now |
2021 Events
| Date | Topic | Event Recording |
|---|---|---|
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Dec. 4, 2021 |
A Conversation with Award-Winning Black History Children’s Book Authors — this conversation featured authors K.N. Chimbiri and Preston Love, Jr. | Watch Now |
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Nov. 30, 2021 |
Recounting Black Omaha History through Family Archives: Faculty Family Histories — Antiques Roadshow-Style — a panel featuring Professors Karen Johns, Terrie Miller, Justin Payne, and Preston Love, Jr., faculty in the UNO Department of Black Studies. | Watch Now |
| Nov. 16, 2021 | Remembering the Past: Face-to-Face with Our Youth — a lecture presented by UNO Prof. Preston Love, Jr. | Watch Now |
| Nov. 11, 2021 | Silenced: An Unlock Civics Documentary — a panel discussion about those who have been or are currently disenfranchised through incarceration in the U.S., after viewing the "Silenced" documentary. | Watch Now |
| Oct. 26, 2021 | Ma’at Blinded: Africana Views on the Challenge of the Loss of Shame for the Individual and the Community — a lecture presented by UNO's Dr. Nikitah Imani. | Watch Now |
| Oct. 21, 2021 | Africanizing the Great Plains: Black Frontier Identities, Sovereignty, and (Re)Imagination — a guest lecture presented by Dr. Catherine Adams. | Watch Now |
| October 12, 2021 | Faculty Book Salon: A Conversation with Jennifer Harbour — Jennifer Harbour, Ph.D., discussed her new book "Organizing Freedom: Black Emancipation in the Civil War Midwest" and Cynthia Robinson, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Black Studies, moderated the discussion. Harbour's book was recognized with a Best of Illinois History Excellence Award by the Illinois State Historical Society in early 2021. | Watch Now |
| July 28, 2021 | Omaha 54 and 50 Years of Black Studies | Watch Now |
Charting a Path: From 'Omaha 54' to 50 Years of Black Studies
A peaceful protest in 1969, organized by Black students seeking equal treatment, helped set the stage for five decades of Black Studies at UNO. Despite being one of the oldest departments of its kind in the U.S., the story of UNO's Department of Black Studies is just beginning.
Read the article: Charting a Path: From 'Omaha 54' to 50 Years of Black Studies
Descendants of DeWitty NE exhibit comes to UNO Libraries’ Osborne Gallery
The 25-photo exhibit shares the history of the people of DeWitty, the largest African American homestead settlement in Nebraska. The traveling exhibit is on loan from the Descendants of DeWitty NE organization. The exhibit will run September 1- November 7, 2021.
Read the article: Descendants of DeWitty NE exhibit comes to UNO Libraries’ Osborne Gallery.
Charting Our Path: Celebrating 50 Years of Black Studies (1971-2021) Exhibit Opens to the Public
The exhibit celebrates the 50 years of Black Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, sharing both the triumphs and turbulent history of one of the oldest Black Studies departments in the nation.
Read the article: Charting Our Path: Celebrating 50 Years of Black Studies (1971-2021) Exhibit Opens to the Public.Historical Resources
- Historical records from the Department of Black Studies
- Historical records on the Omaha 54
- Other resources are available in UNO Libraries Digital Collections and UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections.
Celebrating the Omaha 54 and 50 Years of the Department of Black Studies
The Department of Black Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is proud to celebrate its 50th anniversary in the 2021-2022 academic year. The Department of Black Studies and UNO Libraries kicked off this important year by honoring the Omaha 54 students in an event held on July 28th.
In November 1969, the activism and personal sacrifices of the Omaha 54 students played a pivotal role in the creation of the Department of Black Studies at UNO.
Explore photos from the event in this recap or watch a recording of the event below.