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Access to Local History Archives Expanded

UNO’s Criss Library completes first year of National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant with Great Plains Black History Museum.

October is American Archives Month and Criss Library’s Archives and Special Collections is marking the first year of the Access to the Archives of the Great Plains Black History Museum project with over 100 boxes of archival materials arranged and described. The project is funded by grant awarded by the National Archives' National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library to expand access to the archival collection of the Great Plains Black History Museum.

UNO archivists Amy Schindler and Lori Schwartz and Eric Ewing, Executive Director of the Great Plains Black History Museum, lead the collaboration with UNO alumnus Jessica Oosting joining as Project Archivist. Oosting spends her work days with historical records on varied topics from music to military, from business to education, and many more subjects. Posts on Criss Library’s Facebook and Instagram feeds offer a look at some of the photographs and documents being preserved that are now available to the public in Archives and Special Collections. Follow along for continuing updates throughout the second year of the grant.

In addition to the arrangement and description of the Great Plains Black History Museum’s archival collection, the project partners are also collaborating to offer public programs during the grant period. These have included a workshop guiding community members on caring for their personal archives, Lunch and Learn webinars providing a window into people and organizations in the collection through their historical documents and photos, and presentations and pop-up displays. Programming will continue in 2026.

The Great Plains Black History Museum’s archival collection was gathered by the Museum’s founder Mrs. Bertha Calloway and subsequent volunteers and staff. The collection remains the property of the Museum with the arrangement and description work of the archival material being completed at UNO’s Criss Library. The collection is available for use by the public in Archives and Special Collections on the first floor of Criss Library Monday-Friday 9 A.M. - 5 P.M.

About Criss Library:

The Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library fulfills the UNO mission through dynamic services, highly qualified and adaptive personnel, unique and extensive collections, and accessible learning spaces and environments. With its location on UNO’s Dodge Campus, Criss Library provides UNO students, faculty and staff, and the Omaha community with the resources and materials needed to excel academically and professionally.

About the Great Plains Black History Museum:

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

About the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) of the National Archives supports projects that promote access to America's historical records to encourage understanding of our democracy, history, and culture. The 15-member Commission includes representatives from all three branches of the Federal government as well as the leading archival and historical professional associations. Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan is the Chair, and Christopher Eck is the Executive Director. Since it was established in 1934 along with the National Archives, the NHPRC has awarded 5,200 grants for preserving, publishing, and providing access to the nation’s historical documents.