List of riots and civil unrest in Omaha, Nebraska

The following is a list of riots and civil unrest in Omaha, Nebraska. With its economic roots in cattle processing, meatpacking, railroads, manufacturing and jobbing, the history of Omaha has events typical of struggles in other cities over early 20th-century industrialization and labor problems. Racial tension was deeply based in economic and social competition as older immigrants had to contend with different ethnic groups from eastern and southern Europe and African Americans from the South. The latter were recruited for jobs in the expanding meatpacking plants as World War I shut off immigration from Europe. While numerous African Americans migrated to the city in its growing industrial phase, they were a distinct minority within the overall state population. [Larsen and Cotrell. (2002) "Omaha: The Gate City." University of Nebraska Press. p 172.] Civil disorder in Omaha has related to the most critical events and tensions of an era, from showing support of homeless people in the 1890s; to anti-strikebreaker sentiment, focused on new Japanese residents at the turn of the 20th century; to anti-war events in the 1970s. The 1960s inner-city riots that destroyed parts of the Near North Side neighborhood were another manifestation of social and economic tension breaking out in violence.

Often the violence did little to resolve the problems at their roots: for instance, labor inequities were persistent because of major industries' opposition to unionizing and insistence on "open shop" policies into the 1940s and beyond. Just as workers were finally achieving some successes, industries underwent major restructuring, causing loss of tens of thousands of jobs and movement of industrial work away from Omaha, stranding many in the working classes for some time. [Larsen and Cotrell. (2002) "Omaha: The Gate City." University of Nebraska Press. p 135.] The challenges facing African Americans in Omaha with regard to economic inequity and social immobility also persist but the form has varied with social and economic changes. [Luebtke, F.C. (2005) "Nebraska: An Illustrated History. University of Nebraska Press. p. 334.] The racial tension persists in part because of problems with crime arising from dysfunctions of poverty, entwined issues of class and race, and the relative geographic and social isolation of some of the minority communities. [ [http://www.kmtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6676838 "The U.S. Justice Department Says Omaha Has Racial Tension"] , KMTV.com. June 20, 2007. Retrieved 7/8/08.] [(2003) " [http://www.scribd.com/doc/356824/annualreport2002 Community Relations Service FY 2002 Annual Report] ." U.S. Department of Justice, Community Relations Service. Retrieved 7/8/08.]

19th century

In the late 19th century civil unrest in Omaha was chiefly related to labor disputes that arose with industrialization. During the 1880s and '90s, the Governor of Nebraska repeatedly sent in the state militia during labor disputes in the smelting, railroad and meatpacking house industries. [Luebtke, F.C. (2005) "Nebraska: An Illustrated History. University of Nebraska Press. p 134.] In 1895 the American Protective Association threatened large-scale riots throughout the city after Nebraska state law forced a complete alteration of the police and fire boards in the city. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9500E2D8103DE433A25751C0A96E9C94649ED7CF "A.P.A. makes trouble"] , "New York Times." August 2, 1895. Retrieved 4/16/08.]

Post-WWII

The aftermath of the Second World War brought apparent tranquility to much of the nation. However, in working class cities such as Omaha labor unrest continued to weigh heavily on industry while the middle class was burgeoning. Restructuring of major industries rapidly cost tens of thousands of jobs in Omaha in the railroad and meatpacking industries in the decades after 1950. Parts of the working class that could not quickly adapt were isolated in North and South Omaha as the economy retracted. With decreasing revenues, the city and businesses decreased investments in existing housing and infrastructure. At the same time the city was expanding away from the river, with growth to new suburbs and development in the west, leading to white flight from many inner-city neighborhoods. Some new-style white collar jobs migrated to that area as well, or were concentrated in downtown.

Civil rights and Vietnam War protests

The Civil rights movement in the United States actively brought calls for black power and against racism to Omaha, while simultaneously youth throughout the city were being drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. This led to a series of protests and riots, the repercussions of which are still felt today in some communities. [Larsen and Cotrell. (2002) "Omaha: The Gate City." University of Nebraska Press. p 277.]

ee also

* Ethnic groups in Omaha, Nebraska
* Timeline of racial tension in Omaha, Nebraska
* "A Time for Burning"
* Crime in Omaha
* History of Omaha

References

Bibliography

* Pratt, W.C. "Advancing Packinghouse unionism in South Omaha, 1917-1920," "Journal of the West. 35":2, 42-49.
* Warren, W.J. "The impasse of radicalism and race: Omaha's meatpacking unionism, 1945-1955," "Journal of the West. 35":2, 50-54.
* Fogarty, H.A. "Long Packinghouse Strike Hurts Business in Omaha," "The New York Times." May 2, 1948.
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9504EEDD103DE433A25752C2A9609C94649ED7CF "An Omaha Bicyclist Mobbed"] , "The New York Times." June 21, 1895.