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X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X Student Dress Rehearsal Study Guide Created as a companion to Opera Omaha’s Student Dress Rehearsal of X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X. The study guide includes information about the opera, information about Malcolm X and his connection to Omaha provided by the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation, an Opera 101, guiding questions for discussion, and resources for further exploration. Download Study Guide

The Omaha born, iconic leader, Malcolm X, is getting a lot of attention right now. A few weeks ago, he was selected to be the newest inductee into the Nebraska Hall of Fame. He will be the first African American to be selected for this honor. Additionally, coming up in November, Opera Omaha will produce the opera X, the Life and Times of Malcolm X, which will be performed in Omaha before going to the Metropolitan Opera in New York. For JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, the Executive Director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation, and Leo Louis II, its board president, the synergy of this moment has been 25 years in the making. “It...

Omaha History North Omaha History, Adam Fletcher Sasse A Biography of Malcolm X in Omaha A Tour of the Omaha Civil Rights Movement A History of 24th Street in North Omaha References and further resources recommended by the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation Books The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Alex Haley and Malcolm X (1965) Growing up X, Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X (2003) Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X, Ilyasah Shabazz (2014) Betty Before X, Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson (2018) The Dead are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X, Les Payne and Tamara Payne (2020) Speeches and Interviews Speech on the Founding of OAAU (1964) | Digital Copy from M...

The Black Experience in Omaha early 1900’s: a major hub of cultural activity in the Midwest The timing of Malcolm’s birth and his familial presence in Omaha could not have been more significant. During the period 1910 to 1920, Omaha experienced a major growth in the size of the African American population concomitant with the growth of the meat packing industry and its recruitment of African Americans as employees. These newly minted residents faced a quandary. Segregation was not formally legislated, but it was commonly practiced in public places. You have then the juxtaposition of a large and growing population, with high levels of employment and increasing political and economic power, “the ir...

Opera Omaha is partnering with the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation for resources and community programming surrounding X, the Life and Times of Malcolm X. MISSION The Malcolm X Memorial Foundation is focused on preserving the human rights legacy of Malcolm X (El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) while prioritizing self-reliance & determination through radical movement building. VISION We aim to educate with a focus on the African Diaspora and providing liberation through incubation of grassroots transformative programming. We envision an empowered community of self and family, thriving in equity; Leading as a creative common ground for Afro-American centered action-oriented activism and leadership development. VALUES Our core values are rooted in: civic engagement, ...