Street named for Catholic school teacher, civil rights leader

An Omaha street now bears the name of a beloved and pioneering Catholic schools teacher and civil rights leader, Tessie O. Edwards.

Former students pushed to have a two-block section of Western Avenue, between 72nd and 74th Streets, named after Edwards.

On Wednesday, April 29, they got their wish during an outdoor ceremony that ended with the unveiling of a new street sign.

The newly named Tessie O. Edwards Avenue runs along the south side of Creighton Preparatory High School, where for 23 years Edwards served as a teacher, counselor and head of the history department.

She was the archdiocese’s first black teacher when she was hired in 1958. Edwards taught at the former St. Benedict the Moor School and St. Pius X School (now St. Pius/St. Leo) in Omaha before moving on to Creighton Prep.

Tessie O. Edwards COURTESY PHOTO

She had earned a history degree at Creighton University in 1949 and was a leader in the civil rights group, the Omaha DePorres Club, from 1949 to 1951. Later in her career, Edwards completed three summers of postgraduate study at the University of Oxford in England.

In 1994 she founded the Black Student Catholic Scholarship Fund, which was renamed for Edwards a couple years after her death in 2012. That fund, to date, has helped 473 students attend Catholic schools in the archdiocese.

Two current scholarship recipients – Journi Woods of Marian High School in Omaha and Changun Dak of Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, also in Omaha – were among the speakers at Wednesday’s street renaming ceremony.

Journi Woods

Changun Dak

Hosting the event were two of Edwards’ former students: Bill Gast of the Creighton Prep Class of 1966 and Bob Caniglia of the Class of 1972. The two spearheaded the street-renaming initiative in her honor.

Bob Caniglia, left, and Bill Gast

They said they found overwhelming support from fellow alumni, Edwards’ family, her former school and parish communities, neighborhood residents and city officials.

Many supporters were on hand for the 11 a.m. outdoor ceremony at Creighton Prep. Jesuit Father Matthew Spotts, Creighton Prep president, prayed an invocation.

Other speakers included Omaha City Council member Pete Festersen; Prep alumni communications director Mike Beacom; retired Prep teacher Susan Stein, who worked alongside Edwards; and Shawn Yancy, Edwards’ grandniece.

Edwards received numerous honors in her lifetime, including a Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal from Pope St. Paul VI in 1966, for service to the Church and pope; the title of Woman of the Year from the Omaha Archdiocese Council of Catholic Women in 1998; a doctorate of humane letters from Creighton University in 2005; and the Notre Dame Sisters’ Mother Qualberta Service Award in 2008.

Omaha City Council member Pete Festersen spoke briefly to those in attendance.

Edwards’ niece, Pamela Campbell Yancy. left, and grandniece, Shawn Yancy

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