Michael Tate Interviews

UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections is pleased to share that audio recordings collected by University of Nebraska at Omaha History students taking courses with Prof. Michael Tate in the 1970s are now available online. The audio recordings of these interviews had already been digitized, but were described to allow online access as part of the Omaha Stories project.

The American Indian Oral History and Omaha Folklore Project Oral History Collection in UNO Libraries’ Archives & Special Collections includes dozens of interviews conducted from the mid-1970s through approximately 1980 (finding aid available online). Many of the interviewees or narrators were Native Americans or immigrants to Nebraska from European countries. Some people were longtime residents of Omaha and surrounding communities, while others had more recently moved to Omaha. Topics or themes that were frequent topics in the interviews include Native American culture, history, and current events of the 1970s such as the Wounded Knee trials, the Great Depression, World War II, emigrating to the U.S. and moving to Omaha, farming, and many other topics. Of note are multiple interviews with Polish Americans who settled in Omaha after WWII, interviews with veterans of the Vietnam War, mentions of the lynching of Will Brown during the 1919 Omaha race riot, railroads, and more.

Interviews will continue to be highlighted in posts for the Omaha Stories blog. Portals to the oral history interviews are available on the UNO Libraries Digital Collections and Omaha Stories websites.

Archives and Special Collections would like to hear from interviewees or their surviving family members. A partial list of people interviewed in the 1970s who we are searching for is available on the Omaha Stories website. Do you know someone on our list? Contact Director of Archives & Special Collections Amy Schindler (402.554.6046, acschindler@unomaha.edu). We have heard from some interviewees or their family members and look forward to connecting with more folks in the months and years ahead.

The Omaha Stories initiative is part of UNO Libraries' strategic priority to cultivate, share, and preserve digital resources and scholarship. Omaha Stories is funded by Humanities Nebraska (HN) and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. The UNO Libraries' Eugene S. and Sunny M. Thomas Fund for Innovation provided matching funds.

The Omaha Stories: Oral Histories of Omaha, Nebraska website is one of many grants funded by HN. HN awards more than $257,000 in grants each year.

2024 Update: The UNO Libraries Digital Collections have migrated to new online platforms. The Omaha Stories online platform was retired.

About Humanities Nebraska and Grant Funding

Created in 1973 as a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, HN is an independent, non-profit organization governed by a volunteer board of public and academic members. HN funds programs that explore Nebraska's heritage, build community awareness, and strengthen our ties to cultural traditions at home and abroad. The Nebraska Cultural Endowment is a public/private partnership that designates funds to HN for distribution.

Any non-profit group is eligible to apply for a grant from HN. The HN staff is available for grant consultation and will read proposal drafts. Contact the HN office if you need assistance with a project idea. For a copy of Humanities Nebraska grant guidelines, contact HN at 215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 330, Lincoln, NE 68508, phone 402-474-2131, fax 402-474-4852, or e-mail at info@humanitiesnebraska.org. The entire grant guidelines packet is online at: http://humanitiesnebraska.org/.

Visit the Omaha Oral History Blogs to learn more.