As Black History month comes to a close, Omaha’s Black leaders and community members want to ensure that the Omaha community stay consistent with their interest in the history of the Black experience beyond the month of February.
In 1976 President Gerald Ford declared Feb. 1-28 as Black History Month, a time for Americans to acknowledge the sacrifice of the Black experience. The holiday may only last 28 days, but Omaha local Ricky Nelson said he believes that time frame shouldn’t limit the opportunity to reflect on Black history year-round.
“We all need to be educated about our history, and if you don’t know your history, you don’t know where you came from, and where you’re going. Without your history, you have nothing to look forward to,” he said. “So, for Black history, it’s the education that we want everyone to know about the civil rights and all these different kinds of movements.”
Preston Love is a large advocate for the Black community in Omaha and works to support and educate locals on Black history. Love has written several books about the Black experience and also educates local UNO students about the importance of understanding the context of African Americans being portrayed in history. Love acknowledges the progress the community has made but cannot avoid the large list of remaining challenges Black people still face, he said.
“We’re still fighting for equity, and diversion, and diversity and inclusion. We are still fighting that, and we should be through, we are not. That’s a challenge, we are still fighting for the reduction of disparities and Criminal Justice. Disparities in healthcare, healthcare deliveries and attention to mental health. We still are challenging and still have challenges as it relates to mass incarceration, and treatment during incarceration. We still have challenges to reach the educational gap and achievements. And so, we got a lot,” he said.
