Jack Broomfield
Encyclopedia
Jack Broomfield was a leader
of the African American community
in Omaha, Nebraska
in the early 20th century.
left Omaha in 1903, Jack Broomfield stepped into the position of the political leader of Omaha's African American community. Broomfield was an ex-Pullman porter who owned and ran the Midway, a nationally known saloon and gambling hall. The hangout for men was at 1124 Capitol Avenue near the notorious Sporting District
. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
called the Midway the "most notorious dive in Omaha".
Critics complained that Broomfield was more interested in promoting his illicit interests with the political boss Tom Dennison
than promoting the interests of his race. Broomfield had allowed blacks to lose political influence throughout the city, and particularly fell through on keeping the community safe. It was under his leadership that the lynching of Will Brown
occurred, but it is difficult to say whether any African American leader could have prevented such a mob outbreak.
He was unable to prevent subsequent redlining
of the Near North Side
and other forms of segregation throughout the city.
Broomfield contracted local African American architect Clarence W. Wigington
to build the Broomfield Rowhouse
in 1913.
Community leader
A Community Leader is a designation, often by secondary sources , for a person who is perceived to represent a community. A simple way to understand community leadership is to see it as leadership in, for and by the community...
of the African American community
African Americans in Omaha, Nebraska
African Americans in Omaha, Nebraska are central to the development and growth of the 43rd largest city in the United States. The first free black settler in the city arrived in 1854, the year the city was incorporated....
in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
in the early 20th century.
About
After Dr. Matthew RickettsMatthew Ricketts
Matthew Oliver Ricketts was an American politician and physician. He was the first African-American state senator in the Nebraska Legislature, where he served for two terms...
left Omaha in 1903, Jack Broomfield stepped into the position of the political leader of Omaha's African American community. Broomfield was an ex-Pullman porter who owned and ran the Midway, a nationally known saloon and gambling hall. The hangout for men was at 1124 Capitol Avenue near the notorious Sporting District
Sporting District
The Sporting District was an area near 16th and Harney Streets in Omaha, Nebraska where city boss Tom Dennison kept the majority of his gambling, drinking and prostitution interests from the late 19th century until the end of his reign in 1933...
. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an American social activist, abolitionist, and leading figure of the early woman's movement...
called the Midway the "most notorious dive in Omaha".
Critics complained that Broomfield was more interested in promoting his illicit interests with the political boss Tom Dennison
Tom Dennison (political boss)
Tom Dennison, aka Pickhandle, Old Grey Wolf, was the early-20th century political boss of Omaha, Nebraska. A politically savvy, culturally astute gambler, Dennison was in charge of the city's wide crime rings, including prostitution, gambling and bootlegging in the 1920s...
than promoting the interests of his race. Broomfield had allowed blacks to lose political influence throughout the city, and particularly fell through on keeping the community safe. It was under his leadership that the lynching of Will Brown
Omaha Race Riot of 1919
The Omaha Race Riot occurred in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 28–29, 1919. The race riot resulted in the brutal lynching of Will Brown, a black worker; the death of two white men; the attempted hanging of the mayor Edward Parsons Smith; and a public rampage by thousands of whites who set fire to...
occurred, but it is difficult to say whether any African American leader could have prevented such a mob outbreak.
He was unable to prevent subsequent redlining
Redlining
Redlining is the practice of denying, or increasing the cost of services such as banking, insurance, access to jobs, access to health care, or even supermarkets to residents in certain, often racially determined, areas. The term "redlining" was coined in the late 1960s by John McKnight, a...
of the Near North Side
Near North Side (Omaha, Nebraska)
The Near North Side of Omaha, Nebraska is the neighborhood immediately north of downtown. It forms the nucleus of the city's African-American community, and its name is often synonymous with the entire North Omaha area...
and other forms of segregation throughout the city.
Broomfield contracted local African American architect Clarence W. Wigington
Clarence W. Wigington
Clarence Wesley "Cap" Wigington was an African-American architect who grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. After winning three first prizes in charcoal, pencil, and pen and ink at an art competition during the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in 1899, Wigington went on to become a renowned architect across...
to build the Broomfield Rowhouse
Broomfield Rowhouse
The Broomfield Rowhouse is located at 2502-2504 Lake Street in the Near North Side neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. It was designed by African American architect Clarence W. Wigington, who was later regarded as a master in his field. His design for the house won a 1909 Good Housekeeping competition...
in 1913.
See also
- Harry BufordHarry Buford HouseThe Harry Buford House is located at 1804 North 30th Street in North Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1929 in a Period Revival style, it was designated a landmark by the City of Omaha in 1983.-About:...
- List of people from North Omaha, Nebraska
- Crime in OmahaCrime in OmahaCrime in Omaha, Nebraska has varied widely, ranging from the city's early years as a frontier town with typically widespread gambling and prostitution, to civic expectation of higher standards as the city grew, and contemporary concerns about violent crimes related to gangs and dysfunctions of...