Preston Love Jr. asked to receive Mildred Brown’s Honorary Degree from the University of Nebraska Omaha, Spring 2023 Commencement
Preston Love Jr. was asked to receive Mildred Brown’s honorary degree at this year’s UNO commencement. Mildred Brown (1905-1989) left an indelible mark on the history of North Omaha and the Midwest. She was a journalist and businesswoman and co-founder and co-operator of the Omaha Star, a newspaper dedicated to the African-American community. After divorcing her husband in 1943, Brown took charge of the business, turning it into the sole African- American newspaper in Nebraska by 1945. She was also a key figure in the civil rights movement of the 1960s in Omaha. Through the Omaha Star, she raised awareness of civil rights issues and fought against housing discrimination by refusing to sell advertisements to discriminatory businesses. She was appointed as a goodwill ambassador to East Germany by President Lyndon Johnson. Brown’s exceptional achievements also earned her a place in the Omaha Business Hall of Fame, making her one of only three women to be inducted. She was inducted into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Omaha Press Club Journalism of Excellence Hall of Fame in 2008. The Omaha Star, which is believed to be one of the few American newspapers founded by a black woman, was also acknowledged for its historical significance when the Omaha Star Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
