ALUMNI NEWS
Wead Honored in Omaha for Lifetime Achievement
H e fought all the big commu- nity fights of the civil rights era. He blazed trails in north Omaha. He mentored kids and inspired adults. In September 2018, Rodney S. Wead (Alpha Eta 1955) reaped the rewards. A who’s who of dignitaries gathered for a reception and street dedication honoring the 83-year-old Wead, who now lives in St. Louis. They praised his energy, temperament, kindness and integrity. At 6-foot-6, the man in the maroon blazer still casts a long shadow. “My mother had the foresight to know that I needed an adult African- American man in my life to make me become productive, responsible and positive in our society,” Jerry Bartee, a former Omaha South High principal, told the crowd. “I hope I’ve done her proud.” proud,” he said. “Because you are the reason that I am where I am today.” Said Brenda Council, a former state legislator: “This recognition is long overdue.” Wead, who has a doctorate in sociol- Then Bartee turned to Wead. “I certainly hope I’ve done you
ogy, became a role model for Bartee and Council in the 1960s. He did it quietly, coaching softball and shuttling neighbor- hood kids to Playland Park in Council Bluffs — Omaha’s Peony Park was segregated until 1963. Wead did it publicly, too, protest- ing discrimination at downtown lunch counters, rallying support in the white community, keeping peace during the 24 th Street riots. He built playgrounds, helped set up Omaha’s first Head Start program and worked on behalf of poor and abused women and children. But three of Wead’s biggest feats were entrepreneurial. He was instru- mental in Omaha’s first credit union for low-income residents. He led the push for Omaha’s first black-owned bank. And he spearheaded the first black-owned radio station: KOWH. “I have looked at his résumé, and it would take us a couple of hours to go through it,” said Johnny Rodgers, the 1972 Heisman Trophy winner. “I just can’t imagine how a person has that much time to accomplish that much.” No wonder Ben Gray, the Omaha City Council president, had such a difficult time selecting which street to
name after Wead. He ultimately chose 52 nd Street, between Ames and Fowler Avenues, because that’s where the origi- nal bank started — it was just a trailer in 1973. Wead’s favorite project was the radio station, a venture he attributed to his childhood morning routine. He delivered The World-Herald through the toughest neighborhood in north Omaha. Rodney S. Wead is recognized na- tionwide for his publications, teaching, and leadership for organizations in their outreach to minorities, particularly in the area of development and self help. Using a scholarship earned through his athletic accomplishments at Omaha Central, he first earned a B.S. degree and then a Masters and Ph.D. In addi- tion to teaching at Creighton Univer- sity and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he was written four definitive books and numerous articles. As presi- dent of the St. Louis-based Grace Hill Neighborhood Services, he oversees a work force of over 400 in 33 neighbor- hood locations.
By Dirk Chatelain, World-Herald ® , Special to The Journal
158 | FALL 2019 ♦ THE JOURNAL
Publishing achievement for 105 years
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