Native American Pictures and Artifacts: Mohave Museum of History and Art

 Items form the Mohave Museum of History and Art include many pots and baskets, dolls and photographs, mortars and pestles.  Some of the items are actually in the library.

Book Review: 24th and Glory: The Intersection Between Civil Rights and Omaha's Greatest Generation of Athletes

24th and Glory: The Intersection Between Civil Rights and Omaha's Greatest Generation of Athletes by Dirk Chatelain, History Nebraska partnered with Omaha World Herald, Omaha Nebraska, 2019.

This book is a great read and it partners two topics I love, civil rights and sports.  It is incredible that so many premier athletes came from the same neighborhood.  This book mentions seven, but talks about many more.  These seven were all mentioned by the Omaha World Herald as part of the top 100 athletes from Omaha, 1. Bob Gibson, 2. Gale Sayers, 4 Bob Boozer, 5. Johnny Rodgers, 17. Marlin Briscoe, 26. Ron Boone, 36. Roger Sayers.  These athletes participated in multiple sports in high school.  Three made their names in football, two in basket ball, one in baseball and one in track and field.  Two were brothers who played football together, but the younger brother became and elite running back.  

Most were influenced by Josh Gibson, the older brother of Bob Gibson.  Josh was not allowed to coach at a public schools because of his race, so he turned to youth recreational sports where he excelled at creating athletes.  

Six of the seven athletes in the book were from the North Omaha, Logan Fontenelle housing area.  They attended either Central or Tech high schools.  One grew up in the housing project in South Omaha and attended South Omaha High School.  

But this book is more than a story of athletes.  It weaves in the story of segregation and civil rights.  Many in the African Community found their way to Omaha to work in the meat packing industry which was a trolley care ride away from North Omaha.  Politics did not allow for Blacks to live where they chose but the only housing available was in North Omaha.  It was many years before Nebraska passed laws to outlaw discrimination in housing.  This book delves into that process.  

I highly recommend this book.  It tells many excellent stories about the athletes and about civil rights.

Doxol Fire Tragedy as per Mohave Museum of History and Art

 The Doxol Fire Tragedy is engrained in the fiber of Kingman.  One of the local high schools is called Lee Williams after a volunteer fireman who was principle at Kingman High School.  Their mascot is the Volunteers.  

On July 5, 1973, during the transfer of gas from a rail car a fire started which killed a Doxol employee immediately.  Another employee was able to summon the fire department.  This set up the tragedy.  They firemen tried to keep the tank cool as best they could, but it exploded killing twelve men.  

Kingman Army Air Field as told at the Mohave Museum of History and Art

 Army Air Field was established in Kingman as a place to train those operating the machine guns aboard the B-17 Flying Fortress.  

7000 planes were received at Kingman for storage in the desert.