History Lived Loudly at BSLC’s Ninth Annual Showcase

The Black Student Leadership Council’s Ninth Annual Black History & Heritage Showcase delivered an unforgettable evening of culture, education, and excellence at Omaha Burke High School last night.

Black Student Leadership Council (BSLC) is a youth-focused nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating leadership, character, and cultural pride among high school–age youth of Black/African descent. Through internships, hands-on experiences, and culturally-relevant projects and events, BSLC provides members with opportunities to create, organize, and lead meaningful programs that educate, celebrate, and serve their communities. From heritage showcases and career fairs to symposiums on wealth and health, BSLC helps young people develop confidence, deepen their understanding of their history, and build skills that prepare them for future leadership roles.

At the showcase, students shared powerful historical reflections on Black cowboys, Black excellence in medicine, Black history in Omaha, and pivotal moments too often left out of traditional textbooks. They did more than recite facts; they embodied them. Through poetry, dance, tribute performances, and music, history came alive.

From stepping that shook the stage to piano performances that quieted the room, every act reflected discipline, pride, and deep study.

A meaningful partner in this year’s event was the Great Plains Black History Museum, which served not only as a sponsor but also as a vital educational resource. The Museum provided historical information that helped ensure students’ presentations were accurate and expansive, reinforcing its mission to preserve and elevate African American history, particularly across the Great Plains region.

The showcase was made possible thanks to a strong network of sponsors and community partners such as the Sherwood Foundation, Omaha Community Foundation, I Be Black Girl, Black Police Officers Association of Omaha, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Omaha Black Firefighters, AP’s Legacy Dance Studio, Essential Gathering Place, and Identity Preparatory Academy, among many others.

Plenty of photos are still to come. But what remains already is clear: when young people are given space, support, and truth, they rise, and they lead.