Omaha Star

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The historic office of the Omaha Star.

The Omaha Star was founded in 1938 in Omaha, Nebraska by Mildred Brown and her husband S. Edward Gilbert. Today the Star is the only African American newspaper in Omaha, and may the only one in the United States started by a woman, though this has not been verified.

1 History
2 Present
3 Recognition
4 See also
5 External links
6 References

[edit] History

The first issue of the Omaha Star was published on July 9, 1938 at their offices at 2216 N. 24th Street in North Omaha. Six thousand copies were printed and sold for ten cents each. With the banner "Joy and Happiness", the Star featured positive news about the black community in North Omaha, Nebraska. Celebrating positive African American families, role models and accomplishments, the Star quickly became a pillar of the North Omaha community, and by 1945 was the only black newspaper in Omaha.

In the 1950s the Omaha Star won national respect by reporting the Omaha African American community's perspectives on local and national news. Readers were encouraged to vote and run for office. Omaha's DePorres Club, an early youth-led civil rights group founded in 1947, met at the offices of the Omaha Star in the early 1950s after they had troubles paying rent at their current center.

After Brown died in 1989, her niece, Marguerita Washington, took leadership. The paper continues today.^[1]

[edit] Present

View from the south.

Today the Star's circulation is approximately 30,000. A 2001 survey found each copy of the paper is read six times before being discarded. In its 66 year history, The Omaha Star has never missed an edition.^[2] Omaha jazz legend Preston Love worked as an advertising specialist for the Star before his death.

In spring 2006 the paper received the city's Historical Landmark designation. In January 2007, the Omaha City Council awarded a community development grant to the Omaha Star for remodeling purposes. The Star building is located in the North Omaha Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area and the North 24th Street Business District. Mwarguerita Washington reports that a partnership with Metropolitan Community College to create a memorial adjacent to the Star office to honor Washington’s aunt and Star founder Mildred Brown. Metro students will begin landscaping on “Mildred Brown Strolling Park” this spring.^[3]

[edit] Recognition

The Star was inducted to the Omaha Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame in 1996. It also has received the Golden Spike Award presented by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. Established in 1979, the award recognizes businesses that have made outstanding contributions to the Omaha economy.

The Omaha Star is a member of the National Newspapers Publishers Association.