Community Support

Once again, the Omaha Black community rallied around the Department of Black Studies.

 A petition was circulated and approximately 800 signatures were gathered, voicing their support for the continued presence of the department at UNO. The community’s engagement with curriculum development indicates the gravity of the situation and the seriousness of the situation.

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"Exhibit 12: Petition," circa 1984.

The petition mission reads:

We, the undersigned, do hereby petition the University of Nebraska Board of Regents to retain the Black Studies Department at U.N.O. as a full department within the College of Arts and Sciences. The discipline of Black Studies is an essential part of the overall mission of the University.

We further request that you strengthen your commitment to Black Studies by requiring Black Studies Courses for students majoring in Education, Criminal Justice, Social Work, Political Science, Public Administration, Psychology, Business Administration and other majors you deem appropriate. These specialty courses should be developed and the teachers hired to implement this necessary upgrade of the University.

The struggle to establish and maintain the Black Studies Department has taken up a significant portion of the past decade. Isn’t it about time that the Board of Regents declares its commitment to this essential aspect of this University’s mission in 1984 and beyond? We think so!   

See the full list of signatures here, starting on page 86 of the NAACP Testimony.