By Denise Valdez-Alvarez
The Omaha Star has served the Omaha community since 1938. Black pioneer journalist and civil rights activist Mildred D. Brown co-founded the newspaper to uplift African American voices and empower readers.
Today, CEO and Publisher Terri Sanders continues Brown’s legacy, emphasizing the paper’s role as a community institution.
“Prior to this construction, it was a newspaper office. But people would still come in and I would still talk to them, and school children would come in and I would still give them the background, the update, and what the Omaha Star is,” said Sanders.
A bust of Mildred D. Brown at the Omaha Star Park in North Omaha, Neb., Feb. 26, 2026
The Omaha Star continues to preserve its history through its publications and through the development of the Omaha Star Park and the Omaha Star Museum. The park will feature historical elements, including a bust of Brown, and is expected to open to the public this summer.
As the only remaining African American newspaper in Nebraska, the Omaha Star also serves as an education resource for the community.
Co-founder and chief marketing officer at Knobbl Ciara Lee Blackstone, said the paper dedicates a section of the newspaper to educational opportunities and youth engagement.
The Omaha Star sign in North Omaha, Neb., Feb. 26, 2026
“Whether that be scholarships or grants that are coming out, or if we have a columnist speaking towards education or something simple as crossword puzzles or you know kids games that readers can participate in,” said Blackstone.
The paper is working to bridge the audience gap by attracting young readers and maintaining a digital presence.
The paper remains a pillar in the community with a rich history.
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