NEBRASKA -- History Nebraska announced 12 recipients of the Historic Marker Equity Grant on Thursday.

The 12 markers that were chosen are the first to receive this grant. 

History Nebraska said the Nebraska Historic Marker Equity Grant is a program that creates and funds markers to share the story of underserved groups and topics in Nebraska history.

For this round of recipients, History Nebraska said focus was on civil rights, arts, Native American perspectives, 20th-century immigration and refugee movements, and sports. 

The marker topics and organizations that were selected by the advisory council are:

  • Charles Jackson French by Great Plains Black History Museum in Omaha
  • Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School by Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation in Genoa
  • Gladys Lux by LUX Center for Arts in Lincoln
  • Japanese Hall by Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering
  • Johnny Carson by Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk
  • Minor League Baseball in Norfolk by Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk
  • Kay Cover, Softball in Red Cloud by  Katherine Stoner in Red Cloud
  • Pol-y-gron-da-ha Burial Site by Red Cloud Heritage Tourism Development in Red Cloud
  • Omaha DePorres Club by Omaha Star in Omaha
  • Peony Park by Peony Park Historical Marker Committee in Omaha
  • The White Clay Extension by Broc Anderson in White Clay
  • League Park by Nebraska Public Historians in Omaha

"This is is a fantastic start to this new program," said Project Coordinator Autumn Langemeier. "These markers are a first step to bringing a full scope of Nebraska's history to the public."

Award recipient, Broc Anderson who is a Sheridan County native and applied for a grant to share White Clay history, said the program will help people better understand certain aspects of Nebraska history. 

"The White Clay Extension from Pine Ridge Reservation is part o Nebraska history that is so overlooked," said Anderson. "With the help of the History Nebraska Equity Program, the general public may better understand some of the early Native and non-native relations in northwest Nebraska."

History Nebraska said the applicants will work directly with them to design, produce, and install their historic marker at no cost. 

The organization said that because of State Senator Justin Wayne of Omaha, the 2021 Nebraska legislature allocated funds to help History Nebraska in discovering diverse stories across the state, ones to be told through the historical marker program. 

History Nebraska said the funds will be used to offset the costs of new and replacement historical markers that meet diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion criteria that was set by the Historical Marker Equity Program.