The Omaha Star, Omaha’s oldest Black-owned newspaper, is now owned by a Black woman named Terri Sanders. According to NBC 6 News, Sanders is the fifth Black woman to take charge of The Omaha Star but the first to have sole ownership.
“This is more than surreal — this has been a dream for a long time,” Sanders said.
She is following in the footsteps of the newspaper’s founders: Mildred Brown, Marguerita Washington, and two other African-American women as the paper’s leaders.
“Phyllis Hicks was the publisher, as was Frankie Williams. And I am No. 5,” she said. “I knew Mrs. Mildred Brown was a little girl growing up in Omaha. I knew what she represented and believed in it.”
Future Plans for The Omaha Star
The Omaha Star is the only Black newspaper in the state of Nebraska. For the past 85 years, it has focused on positive news in the North Omaha area – the good news often overlooked by mainstream media. In addition, the newspaper has maintained the legacy of Black leaders. These are all things Sanders will continue to uphold.
“I’m a native Omahan, and I understand the importance of The Omaha Star, the relevance of The Omaha Star. And this year, on July 9th, will make 85 years of publishing; and I want to see that legacy continue into the future,” Sanders said.
And although she does plan on making some changes to the newspaper, the paper will continuously operate in the North Omaha community. One change Sanders wants to make involves turning the newsroom in the historic building into a memorial that honors the paper’s founder.
“We want to turn the part of the building where we’re standing now into a museum — a museum dedicated to Mildred Brown, the Black newspaper, and Black journalism.”
She also wants to establish a larger digital footprint for the newspaper.