WEBVTT 00:00.213 --> 00:02.796 (upbeat music) 00:12.810 --> 00:14.880 - Good afternoon everyone. 00:14.880 --> 00:15.820 Can everybody hear me? 00:15.820 --> 00:17.540 - [Audience] Yeah, yeah. 00:17.540 --> 00:19.410 - For those who do not know me, 00:19.410 --> 00:20.850 my name is Precious Nelson. 00:20.850 --> 00:24.674 I'm on a temp 120 with the EEO office. 00:24.674 --> 00:28.333 EEO Vice, Circe Aponte who has moved on to Germany. 00:29.420 --> 00:30.570 Today's lunch and learn 00:30.570 --> 00:35.050 is to commemorate Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. holiday 00:35.050 --> 00:37.340 other known as MLK day 00:37.340 --> 00:41.390 which was signed into law in January of 1983. 00:41.390 --> 00:43.200 It's a day when the nation pauses 00:43.200 --> 00:46.933 to remember Doctor King, Doctor King's life, and work. 00:48.150 --> 00:51.010 While many see MLK Day as a day off, 00:51.010 --> 00:53.010 we see it as a day on. 00:53.010 --> 00:55.000 It's an opportunity to start your year 00:55.000 --> 00:59.050 in the spirit of volunteerism and service 00:59.050 --> 01:01.510 continuing the legacy of Doctor King 01:01.510 --> 01:05.513 who spent his life working to better the lives of others. 01:07.310 --> 01:10.900 In June of 1958, Doctor King visited Omaha 01:10.900 --> 01:11.733 and gave a speech 01:11.733 --> 01:14.443 at the Salem Baptist Church in North Omaha. 01:15.450 --> 01:16.820 During his time here, 01:16.820 --> 01:20.470 he had dinner at our guest speaker's grandparent's home, 01:20.470 --> 01:22.570 they had put out that it was the parent's, 01:23.730 --> 01:26.560 who is here with us today to share her experience. 01:26.560 --> 01:29.820 And accompanying her is Mr. Eric Ewing 01:29.820 --> 01:32.200 who is the Executive Director 01:32.200 --> 01:35.570 of the Great Plains Black History Museum, 01:35.570 --> 01:38.143 located on North 24th Street. 01:39.170 --> 01:42.646 Please give a warm welcome to Miss Patricia Brown. 01:42.646 --> 01:45.646 (audience clapping) 01:55.760 --> 01:56.989 - Good afternoon. 01:56.989 --> 01:58.120 - [Audience] Good afternoon. 01:58.120 --> 02:03.120 - It is indeed a pleasure for me to be here with you today 02:03.750 --> 02:08.690 and to tell you some things about Doctor Martin Luther King 02:08.690 --> 02:11.053 with his time here in Omaha, Nebraska. 02:13.250 --> 02:16.010 I was thrilled when Eric said 02:16.010 --> 02:18.360 that they would like to have a presentation 02:18.360 --> 02:20.270 here at the Corps of Engineers. 02:20.270 --> 02:24.320 And I have a dear friend that worked here. 02:24.320 --> 02:28.950 He has since passed away, but I was really delighted to come 02:28.950 --> 02:30.800 and give you this short presentation. 02:32.880 --> 02:34.713 Let me start from the beginning. 02:36.650 --> 02:41.530 Back in, I think it was June of 1957, 02:44.573 --> 02:48.710 the Omaha community found out that we were gonna host 02:48.710 --> 02:51.370 the National Baptist Sunday School Congress 02:51.370 --> 02:53.930 here in Omaha, Nebraska. 02:53.930 --> 02:58.930 That would entail somewhere between, oh, 10, 15,000 people, 03:00.220 --> 03:02.700 and they would be bringing their youth also 03:02.700 --> 03:05.870 because it was a Sunday school training session. 03:05.870 --> 03:07.293 At that time, 03:08.380 --> 03:13.380 there weren't very many motels, hotels in Omaha. 03:14.430 --> 03:19.430 So the religious sector of Omaha, 03:20.350 --> 03:23.940 like Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance 03:23.940 --> 03:25.980 and the Baptist pastors, 03:25.980 --> 03:30.980 they opened it up and asked the community to help 03:31.120 --> 03:33.920 and to see if they would open their doors 03:33.920 --> 03:38.090 and house some of the delegates coming to Omaha. 03:38.090 --> 03:42.210 And they would pay a small stipend to stay at their homes. 03:42.210 --> 03:46.080 But it was just the idea of rolling out the welcome mat 03:46.080 --> 03:47.703 for the delegates coming in. 03:49.330 --> 03:51.110 I lived, my brother and I, 03:51.110 --> 03:56.110 we lived with our grandparents on 20th and Ohio, 2011 Ohio. 03:59.400 --> 04:02.220 My Grandmother, she was mentioning it, and so I told her, 04:02.220 --> 04:05.420 I said, well you know you got the two rooms upstairs, 04:05.420 --> 04:07.260 my room and big brother's room, 04:07.260 --> 04:09.365 so why don't you go down and sign up 04:09.365 --> 04:13.053 and say that you will take some delegates in the home? 04:13.920 --> 04:16.510 So my grandmother said, that's a good idea. 04:16.510 --> 04:18.730 So they went down to Zion Baptist Church, 04:18.730 --> 04:20.280 which is on Grant, 04:20.280 --> 04:24.780 that's where the housing was listed at that time, 04:24.780 --> 04:29.780 and they signed up to take two people or three, whatever. 04:30.520 --> 04:35.260 So the thing is, when it did happen, in June, 04:35.260 --> 04:36.950 they started coming in, 04:36.950 --> 04:39.760 I believe around June the 15th or 16th 04:39.760 --> 04:41.513 they started coming in to Omaha. 04:42.540 --> 04:44.480 We were assigned, 04:44.480 --> 04:47.300 when I say we, I'm thinking of my grandparents, 04:47.300 --> 04:51.913 we were assigned a gentleman from Mississippi. 04:53.260 --> 04:58.260 He was a minister and his name was Reverend Paul Hays. 05:00.270 --> 05:03.350 He was registered to stay at my grandparent's house. 05:03.350 --> 05:04.910 And then there were two other ladies 05:04.910 --> 05:07.000 and they were from Jamaica, New York. 05:07.000 --> 05:08.470 I don't remember their names right now, 05:08.470 --> 05:09.780 it's been a long time. 05:09.780 --> 05:11.893 But anyway and they stayed in my room. 05:13.030 --> 05:14.710 My grandparents, 05:14.710 --> 05:18.940 they would fix breakfast for them every morning 05:18.940 --> 05:20.473 and dinner every evening. 05:21.980 --> 05:25.323 I was appointed the chauffer. 05:26.290 --> 05:29.070 I would come down to the house every morning 05:29.070 --> 05:32.700 and I would chauffer them down to the Civic Auditorium 05:32.700 --> 05:34.283 down on Capitol Street. 05:35.330 --> 05:38.090 Then I would go back later on in the evening 05:38.090 --> 05:40.970 and pick them up and bring them out for dinner 05:40.970 --> 05:44.440 and then I would take them back down to the Civic Auditorium 05:44.440 --> 05:46.650 so that they could have the evening services 05:46.650 --> 05:48.780 and participate in that. 05:48.780 --> 05:53.780 So on that, I believe it was on that Tuesday or Wednesday, 05:55.440 --> 05:57.760 Reverend Hays, he asked my grandparents, 05:57.760 --> 06:01.330 he said, you know Doctor Martin Luther King is coming 06:01.330 --> 06:06.100 in to Omaha because he's part of this organization 06:06.100 --> 06:08.210 and he said, how would it be? 06:08.210 --> 06:11.550 Would you like to host him for dinner one evening? 06:11.550 --> 06:13.940 And my grandfather said, oh yes! 06:13.940 --> 06:15.450 He was just delighted. 06:15.450 --> 06:17.379 My grandmother said, well I don't know. 06:17.379 --> 06:18.686 My grandfather said yes-- 06:18.686 --> 06:20.480 (audience laughing) 06:20.480 --> 06:24.850 by that time, he had become very prominent, you know. 06:24.850 --> 06:28.980 So anyway, we set up the date for Thursday 06:28.980 --> 06:33.710 and that was June the 19th of 1958. 06:33.710 --> 06:38.050 And I'll tell ya, I did sort of forget the date, 06:38.050 --> 06:42.700 but I went back in my archives 06:42.700 --> 06:45.090 and I remembered I'm a member 06:45.090 --> 06:47.560 of the Order of the Eastern Star 06:47.560 --> 06:50.460 and I know that we always meet 06:50.460 --> 06:55.240 on the third Wednesday and Thursday of June 06:55.240 --> 06:57.660 for our annual conference 06:57.660 --> 07:00.370 which covers the State of Nebraska. 07:00.370 --> 07:03.320 So I went back and looked and found some calendars 07:03.320 --> 07:07.223 and that's how I got June the 19th was the date, 1958. 07:09.750 --> 07:14.750 We were so excited and Reverend Hays, he requested 07:15.580 --> 07:19.570 that we have greens, that was number one on the list, 07:19.570 --> 07:22.793 fried chicken, potato salad, 07:23.740 --> 07:25.043 candied sweet potatoes, 07:27.140 --> 07:30.693 and lemonade to drink and sweet potato pie. 07:32.140 --> 07:35.300 My grandfather says, done, that's what we'll have. 07:35.300 --> 07:37.620 So my grandfather, he was, like I said, 07:37.620 --> 07:40.293 he was delighted to go and pick him up. 07:43.980 --> 07:48.100 Doctor King stayed at the Rome Hotel 07:48.100 --> 07:50.810 which has since been demolished. 07:50.810 --> 07:52.450 I believe, I think, 07:52.450 --> 07:56.320 maybe the Fire Department fire station might be down there 07:56.320 --> 07:59.330 where the Rome Hotel used to be. 07:59.330 --> 08:02.810 This is Doctor King arriving at the house 08:02.810 --> 08:05.700 and he's standing in front of my car in front of the house. 08:05.700 --> 08:06.533 And my grandfather, 08:06.533 --> 08:08.650 he just thought it was just such an honor 08:08.650 --> 08:11.130 to bring Doctor King to our house. 08:11.130 --> 08:13.000 - [Woman] Question, did you, I'm sorry, 08:13.000 --> 08:15.050 did you have a chance to go to the march? 08:16.610 --> 08:18.750 - Not the one in '63. 08:18.750 --> 08:23.553 But I went to the 10th anniversary, 1973, 08:24.820 --> 08:26.520 because I worked at... 08:28.548 --> 08:29.540 Well, the telephone company, 08:29.540 --> 08:32.850 Northwestern Bell, U S West, Qwest, CenturyLink-- 08:32.850 --> 08:34.974 (audience laughing) 08:34.974 --> 08:37.050 I worked there for 40 years 08:37.050 --> 08:39.800 and I belonged to the Communication Workers of America, 08:39.800 --> 08:41.023 my union, 7400. 08:42.350 --> 08:45.610 Each year they would send me to represent, 08:45.610 --> 08:48.130 because we would get letters from Washington 08:48.130 --> 08:51.160 and different places, asking them to send representatives. 08:51.160 --> 08:55.790 So I went to the 10th anniversary, 1973, August 28th, 1973. 08:56.750 --> 09:00.340 I went to the 20th anniversary in 1983 09:01.800 --> 09:03.527 and then I went to the 4th, 09:05.580 --> 09:08.950 no, is that, 20, 2010, 2013, 09:08.950 --> 09:11.840 and then I went to the last one in 1993 09:11.840 --> 09:13.730 and I took a couple of my children with me, 09:13.730 --> 09:15.890 who they were adults and my grandson, 09:15.890 --> 09:18.930 so they could see what I was talking about. 09:18.930 --> 09:21.250 And it was just, just wonderful! 09:21.250 --> 09:24.010 I mean when you see all these people coming in 09:24.010 --> 09:26.060 and they'd have banners, you know, 09:26.060 --> 09:28.690 and signs and the different colors 09:28.690 --> 09:31.230 and they would come in from all over the world 09:31.230 --> 09:35.570 and we would sit there all day long. 09:35.570 --> 09:37.460 And they would have food there 09:37.460 --> 09:41.440 and we would sing and then we would have national speakers 09:41.440 --> 09:43.800 and it was just a wonderful sight. 09:43.800 --> 09:45.040 And my kids they said, 09:45.040 --> 09:47.830 now we know what you were talking about 09:47.830 --> 09:50.620 and now we're gonna start getting involved. 09:50.620 --> 09:53.880 And that was my main purpose in getting my children 09:53.880 --> 09:57.900 to pass it on to them, to volunteer and get involved 09:57.900 --> 10:00.333 to make things better in the world. 10:01.290 --> 10:03.300 Okay, gentleman back there. 10:03.300 --> 10:05.487 - [Man] Back in June of 1958, 10:05.487 --> 10:07.670 was there any other news coverage 10:07.670 --> 10:11.750 of Doctor King's visit to Omaha? 10:11.750 --> 10:16.750 - Yes, I think it was Mike Kelly, no not Mike Kelly. 10:20.670 --> 10:23.410 This article in the World-Herald, 10:23.410 --> 10:26.720 dated the Thursday, June the 19th, 1950. 10:26.720 --> 10:30.970 The thing is, you can always ask the World-Herald 10:30.970 --> 10:34.730 for different articles and different coverage 10:34.730 --> 10:35.850 on Doctor Martin Luther King, 10:35.850 --> 10:38.670 because they have a folder down there for him. 10:38.670 --> 10:40.940 They have pictures also. 10:40.940 --> 10:43.990 So yes, there was plenty of coverage. 10:43.990 --> 10:45.703 And like I said, it's in the World-Herald, 10:45.703 --> 10:47.730 because I got this... 10:48.950 --> 10:51.390 This is old, but I got this from them. 10:51.390 --> 10:53.140 And then a lot of the pictures 10:54.380 --> 10:56.770 that I got from the World-Herald. 10:56.770 --> 10:59.283 And then, of course, The Omaha Star covered it. 11:01.190 --> 11:02.050 Then at that time 11:02.050 --> 11:06.400 we had the newspaper called the Omaha Guide, 11:06.400 --> 11:08.840 but it has since gone away. 11:08.840 --> 11:10.610 But the Omaha Star is still there 11:10.610 --> 11:13.513 and they have a lot of coverage, pictures and everything. 11:14.350 --> 11:19.350 The Omaha Star is down on 24th between Grant and Burdette. 11:21.820 --> 11:24.570 I'm quite sure if you would ask 11:24.570 --> 11:27.400 about any of the information, 11:27.400 --> 11:28.650 they could give it to ya. 11:30.700 --> 11:32.240 Anything else? 11:32.240 --> 11:33.944 Any other questions? 11:33.944 --> 11:34.777 - [Man] I have a question. 11:34.777 --> 11:36.570 What did you say was the name of that other newspaper 11:36.570 --> 11:38.812 that no longer exists? - The Omaha Guide. 11:38.812 --> 11:39.645 - [Man] Omaha Guide. 11:39.645 --> 11:42.070 - Yes, and it used to be right there at Grant Street, 11:42.070 --> 11:45.150 but the Frontier Bag Company is in that building. 11:45.150 --> 11:46.300 But is was right there, 11:47.310 --> 11:49.320 right off of 24th and Grant Street. 11:49.320 --> 11:50.153 The Omaha Guide. 11:51.850 --> 11:53.590 Now you have to remember, 11:53.590 --> 11:54.830 I'm old you guys! 11:54.830 --> 11:56.551 (audience laughing) 11:56.551 --> 11:58.647 And I've been here all of my life. 11:58.647 --> 12:01.110 I'm 81 years old, 12:01.110 --> 12:04.220 and like I said, I've been here all my life. 12:04.220 --> 12:06.670 And I can almost name every, 12:06.670 --> 12:11.030 from 24th and Cumings all the way back to Lothrop. 12:11.030 --> 12:14.120 I can remember all the businesses and everything else. 12:14.120 --> 12:17.190 I can tell you about the riots that we had and everything. 12:17.190 --> 12:20.796 So you got anything to ask, ask me. 12:20.796 --> 12:21.629 (audience members giggle) 12:21.629 --> 12:24.180 And if I don't know it, I'll find out. 12:24.180 --> 12:28.090 - [Man] Was there a ballroom on 24th and Lake? 12:28.090 --> 12:31.330 - No, you might be talking about the Carnation. 12:31.330 --> 12:33.140 Oh, no, the Dreamland Ballroom. 12:33.140 --> 12:36.730 That was on 24th and Grant Street 12:36.730 --> 12:40.770 and it's now, housed, the NAACP is in there. 12:40.770 --> 12:44.580 The Omaha Economic Development Corporation, 12:44.580 --> 12:45.621 they're housed in there also. 12:45.621 --> 12:47.190 - [Eric] And the Great Plains Black History Museum 12:47.190 --> 12:48.741 is also-- - Yeah and the, oh I'm sorry! 12:48.741 --> 12:52.720 (audience laughing drowns out Patricia) 12:52.720 --> 12:55.390 It's right down on the main floor on the corner. 12:55.390 --> 12:56.957 I'm sorry. 12:56.957 --> 12:59.370 Because there used to be a barber shop 12:59.370 --> 13:02.150 where the Great Plains Black Museum is. 13:02.150 --> 13:05.890 Then next door to that was the pool hall 13:05.890 --> 13:08.357 and it was owned by Jimmy Jewell 13:08.357 --> 13:11.630 and that's why they call the building the Jewell Building. 13:11.630 --> 13:14.690 Then at the top was the ballroom 13:14.690 --> 13:16.380 and what made it so bad, 13:16.380 --> 13:18.130 there was only one way out of there, 13:18.130 --> 13:20.360 down about 25 steps. 13:20.360 --> 13:22.620 But we had many, many... 13:24.180 --> 13:29.180 Stars and singers, dancers, guitar players, 13:29.730 --> 13:32.990 many people came there at the Dreamland Ballroom. 13:32.990 --> 13:37.400 Then on 24th and Miami, 13:37.400 --> 13:39.810 that was the Carnation Ballroom 13:39.810 --> 13:42.460 and that was owned by Miss Mildred Brown 13:42.460 --> 13:44.360 and we had dances and balls 13:44.360 --> 13:46.800 and different things in there also. 13:46.800 --> 13:49.450 It was called the Carnation Ballroom. 13:49.450 --> 13:52.670 And that was on 24th and Miami. 13:52.670 --> 13:54.966 - [Man] I thought it was on 24th and Lake for some reason. 13:54.966 --> 13:55.799 I don't know why. 13:55.799 --> 13:57.543 - Oh, no, no. 13:57.543 --> 14:02.223 Could've been back in the 50s 14:02.223 --> 14:05.720 because I don't ever remember seeing 14:05.720 --> 14:08.100 a black streetcar driver. 14:08.100 --> 14:09.690 Never ever. 14:09.690 --> 14:12.110 And then when the buses came around, 14:12.110 --> 14:14.190 well then they eventually start 14:14.190 --> 14:16.883 because my ex-husband, he was a bus driver. 14:18.680 --> 14:20.790 Then they built the new facility right there 14:20.790 --> 14:23.160 on 24th and Cumings. 14:23.160 --> 14:25.300 But I don't recall 14:25.300 --> 14:30.110 ever seeing a black person operate the streetcars. 14:30.110 --> 14:32.800 Because that was our mode of transportation. 14:32.800 --> 14:34.490 Because I lived right there on, 14:34.490 --> 14:36.120 well 20th and Lake is where I would go 14:36.120 --> 14:39.080 and catch the streetcar and go up to Central High School 14:39.080 --> 14:42.326 and we didn't have any black streetcar drivers. 14:42.326 --> 14:43.159 You know. 14:44.100 --> 14:47.440 But eventually it came around, you know. 14:47.440 --> 14:49.020 And like this... 14:50.720 --> 14:52.910 This picture over here, 14:52.910 --> 14:56.760 where we went to the courthouse and marched 14:56.760 --> 14:58.850 and the city hall and marched 14:58.850 --> 15:02.290 about the different things here in Omaha. 15:02.290 --> 15:07.250 Plus we marched around the city hall, 15:07.250 --> 15:11.080 which was at 17th and Farnam 15:12.950 --> 15:16.200 and it is now, I think, part of the bank or something. 15:16.200 --> 15:17.350 But we marched around there. 15:17.350 --> 15:20.073 I mean there was droves of people that came down, 15:20.073 --> 15:21.870 that had their kids with them. 15:21.870 --> 15:23.690 And we marched all the way around. 15:23.690 --> 15:27.783 17th and also from Douglas, 15:28.730 --> 15:30.457 around and down Farnam, 15:31.506 --> 15:33.840 up 16th Street and around. 15:33.840 --> 15:36.070 That was the city hall at that time. 15:36.070 --> 15:39.570 That was before we got the new civic center 15:39.570 --> 15:41.360 over on Farnam Street. 15:45.260 --> 15:46.970 Okay. - Are we done with questions? 15:46.970 --> 15:48.730 Oh! Jen. 15:48.730 --> 15:50.027 - [Jen] Can you tell us about the riots 15:50.027 --> 15:53.701 and it's impact on you and your family? 15:53.701 --> 15:54.534 - [Patricia] I beg your pardon. 15:54.534 --> 15:56.380 - [Jen] Can you tell us a little bit about the riots 15:56.380 --> 15:58.340 and it's impact on you and your family? 15:58.340 --> 15:59.993 - Oh, okay. 16:02.930 --> 16:07.930 That was at a time and it was so new to me. 16:08.060 --> 16:13.060 I had heard about it, even though I was in my 20s or 30s, 16:13.120 --> 16:16.390 but I had heard about it in other cities. 16:16.390 --> 16:18.750 But I just didn't think 16:18.750 --> 16:22.363 that we could have something like that in Omaha, Nebraska. 16:24.730 --> 16:27.530 On that day, and I can't remember that day, 16:27.530 --> 16:32.190 but on that day, I went down to the music hall 16:32.190 --> 16:35.720 to hear Thelonious Monk. 16:35.720 --> 16:38.823 He was a jazz organist. 16:39.880 --> 16:42.480 We went down there to here him, my girlfriend and I. 16:43.550 --> 16:46.960 We left out about, oh I guess it was about 8:30, 16:46.960 --> 16:51.930 you know, we left out of the music hall down on 17th. 16:51.930 --> 16:56.930 And we drove to Cumings and then we went west on Cumings 16:58.980 --> 17:02.693 and when we got to 24th and Cumings, 17:04.570 --> 17:06.280 I happened to, I wasn't driving, 17:06.280 --> 17:08.830 I happened to look down 24th Street 17:09.698 --> 17:14.097 and I saw all of these military guys in helmets 17:15.250 --> 17:19.440 and with assault rifles and their combat boots 17:19.440 --> 17:21.410 and I said, what is happening? 17:21.410 --> 17:22.570 You know. 17:22.570 --> 17:24.670 So my girlfriend drove up to 25th 17:24.670 --> 17:28.260 and went over to 25th to Franklin Street. 17:28.260 --> 17:29.950 Then I got out of the car 17:29.950 --> 17:31.990 and there was two ministers standing there. 17:31.990 --> 17:33.410 That was Reverend Fowler, 17:33.410 --> 17:36.590 he was the pastor of Bethel AME Church 17:36.590 --> 17:37.800 and Reverend Fouts 17:37.800 --> 17:41.560 who was the pastor of Saint John Methodist Church. 17:41.560 --> 17:43.760 So I said, what's happening? 17:43.760 --> 17:46.310 He said, they're rioting. 17:46.310 --> 17:51.233 And I think this came from the police 17:53.450 --> 17:55.570 shooting a young black girl, 17:55.570 --> 17:56.540 her name was 17:56.540 --> 17:57.390 Vivian Strong. - Vivian Strong. 17:57.390 --> 17:58.223 - [Man] 14 years old. 17:58.223 --> 18:00.870 - And shot here in the back. 18:00.870 --> 18:03.610 She was in the projects down on Paul, 18:03.610 --> 18:06.343 between Paul and Charles Street. 18:07.340 --> 18:11.120 Somehow the young kids, they were all playing around 18:11.120 --> 18:13.150 and doing things down there 18:13.150 --> 18:15.522 and so then the cops were, 18:15.522 --> 18:16.960 mm, mm, not cops, 18:16.960 --> 18:19.360 the policemen were called. 18:19.360 --> 18:22.160 So they ran out of this unoccupied, 18:22.160 --> 18:24.040 I think apartment or whatever 18:24.040 --> 18:26.233 and she ran from 'em. 18:27.320 --> 18:28.480 And this policeman... 18:29.621 --> 18:31.480 He shot her in the back. 18:31.480 --> 18:34.633 She was only 14 years old. 18:36.750 --> 18:38.550 Then that was... 18:38.550 --> 18:40.240 That was... 18:40.240 --> 18:43.380 That was it for us here in Omaha. 18:43.380 --> 18:48.320 And the young people, they took off. 18:48.320 --> 18:49.570 They took avenge to that. 18:51.080 --> 18:53.293 That's when they start talking and buzzing. 18:54.470 --> 18:57.990 Then they had a big meeting at a park behind the projects 18:57.990 --> 18:59.363 over on 20th Street. 19:00.250 --> 19:03.410 They start buzzing and buzzing and talking and talking 19:03.410 --> 19:05.880 about what they need to do. 19:05.880 --> 19:08.910 Because this policeman shot her in the back? 19:08.910 --> 19:09.993 A young person? 19:11.560 --> 19:14.123 So that's how it got started. 19:15.730 --> 19:17.103 They set fire, 19:18.010 --> 19:20.710 you know, to the business down there. 19:20.710 --> 19:21.543 And... 19:22.500 --> 19:24.703 Now this might not sound too good to you, 19:25.950 --> 19:27.620 but I was saying, 19:27.620 --> 19:30.353 why are you burning down our part of the town? 19:31.471 --> 19:34.930 You know, why are you coming down here and burning us up? 19:34.930 --> 19:37.929 When you should be going someplace else, you know. 19:37.929 --> 19:39.410 (person laughs) and, I'm sorry, 19:39.410 --> 19:41.830 but that's the way I feel, you know. 19:41.830 --> 19:44.630 And because these businesses have been down there for years 19:44.630 --> 19:47.110 and they were our businesses, 19:47.110 --> 19:51.270 black and white, Jewish, Indian, whatever. 19:51.270 --> 19:54.600 And they just started the fires going 19:54.600 --> 19:56.770 and they had the policeman, 19:56.770 --> 19:59.960 not the policeman, but the uh, what do you call them? 19:59.960 --> 20:00.793 - [Man] National Guard? 20:00.793 --> 20:01.890 - National Guard. 20:01.890 --> 20:04.450 And they were up on the buildings looking down 20:04.450 --> 20:08.138 to see if they could spot anybody. 20:08.138 --> 20:10.500 It was just really, really, 20:10.500 --> 20:11.620 really, really, 20:11.620 --> 20:14.090 uh! It was really something. 20:14.090 --> 20:16.700 So I went home and got on the phone 20:16.700 --> 20:20.490 and I called this friend of mine who was the president 20:20.490 --> 20:22.370 of the NAACP, John Butler. 20:22.370 --> 20:24.360 - John Butler - and then I went 20:24.360 --> 20:26.680 and called a young man who was a teacher 20:26.680 --> 20:29.680 in Omaha Public Schools, Bruzzy Bryant. 20:29.680 --> 20:32.560 And he was a Kappa. 20:32.560 --> 20:34.950 And I called him and I said, hey you guys, 20:34.950 --> 20:36.250 you gotta get down on 24th Street 20:36.250 --> 20:40.560 because our young people have just gone out of control. 20:40.560 --> 20:43.060 And I said you gotta get down there 20:43.060 --> 20:45.060 and get these young people out of there. 20:45.060 --> 20:48.090 I said because they got guns and rifles 20:48.090 --> 20:50.990 and assault weapons down there, you know. 20:50.990 --> 20:52.770 And I said you need to get down there 20:52.770 --> 20:56.060 and get our kids out of there before they get killed. 20:56.060 --> 20:57.960 So they took heed to that 20:57.960 --> 20:59.280 and they did go down in there, 20:59.280 --> 21:02.210 trying to quiet things down, you know. 21:02.210 --> 21:04.963 We did have one gentleman, 21:06.594 --> 21:09.390 a white gentleman that came down 24th Street 21:09.390 --> 21:10.680 and this was terrible 21:10.680 --> 21:13.540 because he was minding his own business. 21:13.540 --> 21:16.660 They caught him and pulled him out of the car and beat him. 21:16.660 --> 21:18.420 Which was not right. 21:18.420 --> 21:20.120 Because he was just riding down 21:20.120 --> 21:21.830 and he didn't know what was going on. 21:21.830 --> 21:25.020 You know, but that happened during that time 21:25.020 --> 21:27.963 and it was just devastating to Omaha. 21:31.180 --> 21:36.180 We're still trying to build up 24th Street again 21:36.930 --> 21:39.390 to where it used to be. 21:39.390 --> 21:43.820 Because I look over in South Omaha, 21:43.820 --> 21:48.820 24th from, I'll say from L all the way back to Q, 21:51.020 --> 21:53.670 they have everything they need over there. 21:53.670 --> 21:54.550 Everything! 21:54.550 --> 21:58.400 They have every occupation, every professional over there. 21:58.400 --> 22:01.180 And we had that down on 24th Street, 22:01.180 --> 22:02.840 but it was taken away. 22:02.840 --> 22:06.150 You know, and it just didn't make sense. 22:06.150 --> 22:09.931 But that was the effect that they had on our city 22:09.931 --> 22:10.940 at that time. 22:10.940 --> 22:14.740 And like I said, we're still trying to have a comeback, 22:14.740 --> 22:15.573 you know, 22:15.573 --> 22:18.890 and build up and bring businesses down in there, you know. 22:18.890 --> 22:21.470 And housing, homes down in there, 22:21.470 --> 22:24.523 but I don't think it'll ever be like it used to be. 22:25.930 --> 22:28.250 - [Man] What year did that occur? 22:28.250 --> 22:31.082 - That was in, it was in '60-- 22:31.082 --> 22:32.665 - Nine, nine. - '69. 22:33.897 --> 22:35.430 And then I made a trip, 22:35.430 --> 22:38.330 because we had something in '65 also. 22:38.330 --> 22:41.950 Because I went to Detroit, Michigan to see my aunt 22:41.950 --> 22:43.750 and I took my children 22:43.750 --> 22:46.430 and my brother-in-law took me around in Detroit 22:46.430 --> 22:48.800 and showed me the riots there. 22:48.800 --> 22:50.810 And it was devastating. 22:50.810 --> 22:53.390 Not as bad down here in Omaha, 22:53.390 --> 22:54.420 because it was just businesses, 22:54.420 --> 22:56.350 but they were burning homes and everything 22:56.350 --> 22:57.970 up in Detroit, Michigan. 22:57.970 --> 23:00.241 Then out in California in L.A. 23:00.241 --> 23:02.977 That was terrible also, you know. 23:02.977 --> 23:05.630 But it sort of caught on, you know. 23:05.630 --> 23:08.850 And one thing could lead to another, 23:08.850 --> 23:10.440 as my grandmother used to say. 23:10.440 --> 23:12.360 One thing will lead to another. 23:13.922 --> 23:16.960 - [Man] How long had your family been in Omaha? 23:16.960 --> 23:20.793 - My grandparents moved here in 1919. 23:21.740 --> 23:26.740 They came to Omaha just before they had the lynching 23:26.900 --> 23:28.480 down at the courthouse, 23:28.480 --> 23:29.803 down on Farnam Street. 23:34.200 --> 23:36.400 My grandfather shared with me that 23:37.480 --> 23:39.043 on that eventful night, 23:39.900 --> 23:42.510 they went to Pilgrim Baptist Church 23:42.510 --> 23:44.480 on 25th and Hamilton. 23:44.480 --> 23:46.010 And that's where they gathered. 23:46.010 --> 23:48.140 People gathered up there. 23:48.140 --> 23:51.390 And they was wondering what they were gonna do. 23:51.390 --> 23:53.590 They had guns and different things, 23:53.590 --> 23:57.840 but there was one person that left there 23:57.840 --> 24:02.840 and went and warned the lynchers or whatever. 24:04.470 --> 24:06.810 You better not come out on 24th Street 24:06.810 --> 24:08.860 'cause they waitin' for ya. 24:08.860 --> 24:10.690 And so they didn't come. 24:10.690 --> 24:14.483 One person went back and told them, don't come out here. 24:16.130 --> 24:18.930 Now this is what my grandfather and grandmother told me. 24:22.006 --> 24:23.673 Okay, anything else? 24:24.682 --> 24:26.310 - If we don't have anymore questions, 24:26.310 --> 24:27.430 Colonel Hudson would like to come up 24:27.430 --> 24:29.837 and present Miss Brown with a coin. 24:32.825 --> 24:34.671 - Well Miss Brown, that was absolutely fascinating. 24:34.671 --> 24:36.221 I could listen to you all afternoon. 24:36.221 --> 24:38.072 (audience laughing) Your stories of Martin Luther, 24:38.072 --> 24:41.053 now I am a little skeptical of one thing you said though. 24:41.053 --> 24:41.893 - [Patricia] What? 24:41.893 --> 24:43.674 - I'm not sure I buy you're 81. 24:43.674 --> 24:46.828 (audience laughing) 24:46.828 --> 24:48.126 We were doing the math over there. 24:48.126 --> 24:51.846 Wait, there's no way that's true, but. 24:51.846 --> 24:53.830 Absolutely fascinating, and your history, 24:53.830 --> 24:56.460 not just of your evening, 24:56.460 --> 25:00.140 your family had the honor of hosting Martin Luther King, 25:00.140 --> 25:03.940 but also just your history here of town is fascinating 25:03.940 --> 25:05.662 and I appreciate a lot of the questions. 25:05.662 --> 25:07.380 - And I was just, and I was almost afraid 25:07.380 --> 25:09.100 because I didn't have anything written down 25:09.100 --> 25:11.560 and I said, I should write things down. 25:11.560 --> 25:14.140 But I said, I just gotta talk off the top of my head 25:14.140 --> 25:17.330 and from my heart to tell you what happened. 25:17.330 --> 25:21.503 You know, what happened 60 years ago. 25:22.400 --> 25:24.367 - It's fascinating, so here this is your coin, 25:24.367 --> 25:26.800 the Coin of Excellence where we thank folks 25:26.800 --> 25:28.330 who do a great job here in the district 25:28.330 --> 25:31.310 and also speakers like yourself who come in 25:31.310 --> 25:33.930 and give a wonderful presentation like you did today. 25:33.930 --> 25:35.180 - Oh well thank you so much. 25:35.180 --> 25:36.262 I was delighted. 25:36.262 --> 25:37.731 - Thank you. - I was just delighted. 25:37.731 --> 25:40.253 (audience clapping) 25:40.253 --> 25:45.253 And thank Eric. 25:46.600 --> 25:48.053 - Thank you all for coming out. 25:48.053 --> 25:52.840 This is a very large participation and I appreciate it. 25:52.840 --> 25:55.081 Let's give Miss Brown another round of applause. 25:55.081 --> 25:56.870 (audience clapping)