Years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus – in defiance of Jim Crow racial segregation laws in 1955, helping spark the nationwide Civil Rights Movement – Black women in Omaha were already taking a stand against racism.

Among them stood Bertha Calloway. You may have driven on a portion of Lake Street named in her honor, from 22nd to 24th, in an historic Black district, once a notable jazz mecca, comparable to the Harlem Heydays, on a smaller scale, back in the 1920s and ‘30s.

But did you know, Calloway, founder of the Negro History Society and Great Plains Black History Museum, was among the early pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement in Omaha, according to Eric L. Ewing, who serves as the museum’s executive director.

Amassing a wealth of knowledge, much like the museum itself, Ewing, who retired from the U.S. Navy after 20 years, sees his role there as yet another way to serve.

“Black history museums are important because they safeguard artifacts, documents, photographs, and oral histories that tell the stories of African-American life, and provide an accurate record of the past,” he said.

A role that seems to have aligned with his own life’s leanings.

Over the years, Ewing has worked in higher education, including as academic dean, manager of academic advising, and adjunct professor for Bellevue University, and Metropolitan Community College, while working toward his doctorate in post-secondary education.

He also served on boards for the Child Saving Institute, Stephen Center, helping people overcome poverty and addiction, Nebraska Museum Association, Preserve Omaha, Urban League of Nebraska Guild, as well as the committee for Men Against Domestic Violence, and co-chair of the 100 Black Men of Omaha’s Annual African American History Challenge – among his numerous endeavors.

Like Ewing, the Great Plains Black History Museum has also made its mark.

Nationally renowned, it has the largest collection devoted to the Great Plains Black experience, with more than 100,000 periodicals, manuscripts, photographs, rare books, research materials, and film, he noted.

With many of the historic artifacts donated by community members, it is also one of only 81-recorded museums focused on African-American history in the United States.

And here’s where history, like the quilts on display in the lobby, is woven into Calloway’s own story.

The museum, which opened its doors in 1976, is a direct result of the Black woman’s activism within Omaha’s Civil Rights Movement, as a one-time member of the DePorres Club, according to Ewing.

Named after Martin de Porres, the patron saint of Black, mixed-race people, and others seeking racial harmony, the club was established in 1947 by a group of Black high school and white college students, who worked with the Rev. John Markoe at Creighton University, a Jesuit institution, whose initial mission was to improve interracial relations on campus.

“As a member of the DePorres Club and a devoted servant to her community, Calloway played a significant role as a Civil Rights leader,” Ewing said of the museum’s founder, who also created the former website, “I Love Black History,” and died in 2017 at the age of 93.

Active until the 1960s, DePorres Club members staged Omaha’s first sit-in at a restaurant at the Douglas County Courthouse in 1948, calling for the end to segregation and discrimination, among the various other forms of protest, boycotts, actions, and events, as their focus evolved, to address the strife Blacks faced throughout the years.

“I am not sure of Ms. Calloway’s mission statement, but I would imagine it would be similar to our mission today: 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,” he said, of ongoing efforts to continue her legacy.

But she is not alone in her place of honor at the museum, teeming with photographs, mementos, newspaper clippings, art, and personal artifacts, all poignant in the telling of the Black experience.

Other notable Black community members include, Cathy Hughes, entrepreneur, radio and television personality, once listed as the second-richest black woman in the country, after Oprah, none-other than Johnny Rodgers, famed Nebraska Cornhusker football star, along with his Heisman Trophy, Preston Love Sr., Omaha saxophonist, bandleader, and songwriter, best known as a sideman for jazz and rhythm and blues artists like Count Basie and Ray Charles, and most recently Terence “Bud” Crawford, 5-Division World Champion and former undisputed champion in three weight classes – ranked among the “best pound-for-pound fighters in history” – just to name a few.

Their success stories are among the many gems one can glean from the museum, tracking the tragic, yet also triumphant, history of Omaha’s Black community, as well as a reflection of the nation and the evolving role of Black culture over time, he recounts, with an encyclopedic-like repertoire of Black history, he shared while conducting the tour.

Fact, he said, Omaha, at one time, had the largest Black population west of the Mississippi next to Los Angeles, due to the packing plants and railroads, which fell way to the automobile and other factors, before dispersing to other parts of the country seeking employment.

If it weren’t for these archives and collections, much of this knowledge could be lost.

“The museum helps to preserve and interpret stories that are often missing from the history books. We provide rotating exhibitions that help to bring history to life, a trusted educational resource for all ages, and we are a community anchor and cultural gathering space,” he said.

An experience, the museum curators hope will leave an impact, whether you’re familiar with Black history or not.

“Visitors gain a fuller, more accurate picture of the region’s past – one that includes migration, entrepreneurship, activism, arts, and everyday life,” he said, of the overall intention.

Even the museum, now packed into a leased space on the corner of 24th and Grant streets, is itself located upon hallowed grounds, as noted by the “Jazz Trio” sculpture by Littleton Alston, in a plaza across the street, representing the revitalization of the district’s historic past.

The area, now enjoying a Renaissance after decades of social strife and urban blight, has become a focal point for the community’s cultural events, including the North Omaha Music & Arts (NOMA), a creative academy for the youth and world-class entertainment destination, adding to the vibrancy.

Adding to the allure, the museum currently resides on the first floor of the Historic Jewell Building, the latest in its various locations, due to building issues and other factors. Constructed in 1923, it was once the site of the renowned Dreamland Ballroom until 1965, he said.

“From the 1920s to the early 1960s, many of the world’s greatest African-American jazz musicians and entertainers performed in the Dreamland,” according to the preservation plaque, displayed outside the hall.

“On any magical night, you might see a Count, a Duke, or even a King beyond these doors,” more aptly captured in a video by Waymaker Media, in a segment it produced on the history of the ballroom.

The words, a reference to Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, and other top-tier entertainers from Louis Armstrong to Fats Domino, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Dinah Washington, as well as Preston Love’s house band, whose music once echoed through its walls.

The ballroom is gone, but photographic evidence, and of course, the music, remain.

The structure was renovated in 1985 by the Omaha Economic Development Corp., organized in 1977 to improve the lives in North Omaha, by empowering business owners and community members, whose offices are located there now.

The building, deemed a national treasure, was restored and entered on the National Register of Historic Places in October of the same year, the inscription further read.

However, Calloway, also active with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and her husband, had originally purchased the Webster Telephone Exchange Building at 22nd and Lake streets, which was to house the collection she had been amassing over the years.

To help launch the museum, they received a $101,000 grant from the U.S. Bicentennial Commission, in addition to city funding, in subsequent years.

As a nonprofit, it continues to receive government funding, private philanthropy, community donations, grants, and earned revenue to continue its mission.

The museum is governed by elected board members, who each year determine what exhibits will be displayed, said Ewing, who also designs the exhibits and, along with volunteers, conducts the exacting research.

Some of the artifacts are jarring, like newspaper accounts of the 1919 Omaha Race Riots, resulting in the lynching of Will Brown, an innocent Black man, by a white mob, a donated Ku Klux Klan robe, with a stain resembling a bleeding heart, racist literature, and an authentic ball and chain iron shackle, once used to enslave.

Yet others are inspiring like the U.S. President Barack and Michelle Obama dolls, Vice President Kamala Harris campaign poster, the Buffalo Soldiers, noted for their bravery and resilience, tribute to World War II hero Charles Jackson French, whom the Benson Post Office is renamed in honor of, who saved the lives of 15 white sailors, and John Ewing Jr., Omaha’s first Black mayor – and yes, they are brothers.

And signify the glory – showcasing Omaha’s athletic greats – from Bob Gibson, American Major League pitcher, and his golden glove, Olympic Gold Medalist, and NBA Champion Bob Boozer, and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Gayle Sayers, whose friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo, who died from cancer, inspired him to write his autobiography, “I Am Third,” becoming the basis for the movie, “Brian’s Song.”

This past year, the museum, which includes permanent, online and rotating exhibits, welcomed 13,530 interactions from 47 different states and 11 different countries, Ewing said.

Bolstered by strong community support, the visitor experience has been favorable, as evidenced by the reviews.

“A common theme in visitor feedback is how much new knowledge they gain, often stories and history they were never taught in school. The museum consistently exceeds expectations and leaves visitors wanting to learn more,” he said.

“The place is a must-see. Worth the visit,” some of the comments read.

“The history and information you gain are priceless. Many leave feeling inspired and grateful that this history is preserved and shared so openly,” he added.

As the largest museum devoted to the Great Plains experience, it also serves a dual purpose: community outreach.

“We provide tours for all ages, support public schools in Omaha, Lincoln, and Gretna, university engagement, help to enrich curricula, provide intergenerational learning, and offer accessible community education,” he said.

However, to carry on Calloway’s legacy, the museum has taken on a new crusade.

The museum board has already purchased the land to house its massive collection, with 40 percent of the $15 million needed raised.

The new building – funded by government, private philanthropy, public donations, grants, and community support – will be located at 22nd and Lake streets, adjacent to its present location.

“Plans call for more and larger exhibition space, community space, archival space, a book/gift store, café, and theater space,” he said.

Looking toward the future, Ewing envisions the new facility will help represent and further serve the city.

It’s akin to preserving lost art, but so much more.

“The Great Plains Black History Museum is the only institution in Omaha – and the only one in Nebraska – dedicated entirely to preserving, celebrating, and teaching African-American history. It stands out not just as a museum, but as a cultural anchor, a historical guardian, and a community educator. We preserve stories that shaped the region, it fills a statewide gap, it educates all ages, and it is a space for reflection and connection,” he said.

Quite an accomplishment for one woman who decided to take a stand.

To learn more or arrange a tour, please call (402) 932-7077 or visit: https://gpblackhistorymuseum.org.

Annual memberships are available to support their mission, offering access to special events, members-only benefits, merchandise discounts and admission. The museum remains free.