Righting History: The Markoe Collection and the Omaha DePorres Club

Righting History – An invitation: featuring the Fr. Markoe, SJ collection and the Omaha DePorres Club

This historic collection reveals insights into the early years of Fr. John Markoe, SJ, and his civil rights endeavors, beginning in 1917 and culminating in his founding of the Omaha DePorres Club in 1947. Markoe and the Club, alongside North Omaha citizens, strove boldly for civil rights, creating a base of support and convincing Omaha business to change racial discrimination practices.

Such groundbreaking efforts - predating iconic Civil Rights milestones such as Brown v. Board of Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Little Rock - come to life in these materials. Now housed at Creighton University, this collection will capture the interest of scholars of the Civil Rights Movement, Omaha and Nebraska history, U.S. Race Relations, U.S. Catholic history, as well as Creighton's faculty, staff, students, and the general public.

Program:

• Matt Holland, author and son of DePorres club member Denny Holland, will share his perspective on the legacy of the group
• University archivist Peterson Brink will describe what is in the collection and give an invitation to access the collection at Creighton University Libraries
• Eric Ewing, executive director of the Great Plains Black History Museum, will provide local historical background and will open the museum after the program,
• and other guest speakers.

Refreshments will be provided.

Door prizes will include copies of Matt Holland's recent book, The Rarest Kind of Courage: The Extraordinary Life of Fr. John Markoe.

Transportation and Parking:

• Parking is available behind (west of) the Revive Center and on streets.
• Metro Transit's 24 line stops at nearby 24th and Lake.
• A shuttle will be available to transport students from the Creighton campus to the event and back.