From Every Land
By Richard Kimbrough
This program is based on Kimbrough's book “The Outsiders” (with Mourtazo Chadyev) which focuses on people of "other" cultures who have come to Nebraska. Among those featured are:

·        Arturo Coto, who went from being minister of health in El Salvador to hoeing beans in western Nebraska to becoming one of the top officials in the Nebraska Department of Health.

·        Tuan, one of the last South Vietnamese to escape Saigon when the American left and who, despite his wife's death, has given his seven children all a first-rate education.

·        Leola Bullock, an African-American who came to Lincoln in the 1950's and has become one of the nation's foremost civil rights leaders.

·         Rauf Aliovsadzade, a world-class violinist and chess master who left Baku because he was married to a woman from the "wrong" country and who has become a member of the Lincoln Symphony---and an American citizen.

Chinese Immigrants in America

By Janet Lu

This illustrated presentation begins with the historical background of the earliest Chinese immigrants to the United States, following trends up to the present day. Among topics discussed are the contributions of Chinese-Americans and intercultural communication. The talk juxtaposes the personal immigration experiences of Lu and her family with those of other Chinese immigrants in Nebraska and America. Lu prefers to speak within a 60-mile radius of Lincoln.

Czech-Americans in Nebraska

By Bruce Garver

The late 19th century saw the first mass migration of Czechs to Nebraska and other Great Plains states. This talk explains the causes for immigration and describes the experience of dislocation and the consequences of demographic changes in American towns and cities—with emphasis on the years after World War I and the more recent waves of immigration in 1948 and 1968. The presentation looks at both the family life of new Czech-Americans and aspects of intellectual and cultural life. Also described are the principal public institutions established by Czech-Americans—both religious and freethinking.

Germans from Russia

By John Schleicher

During the political and religious upheaval of the 18th century, Germans migrated to the American colonies and to the Russian empire of Catherine the Great. Lured by free land, religious and cultural freedom and exemption from military service, many Germans migrated to Russia, beginning in the 1760s. After more than 100 years, these privileges were threatened, and the Germans from Russia began to immigrate to the Plains states of the U.S. This illustrated program looks at these people and the contributions they made to Nebraska in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Growing Up Czech in Nebraska

By Lorraine J. Duggin, Ph.D.
This presentation features various aspects of Czech-American culture and history, including arts and literature, folk songs and dance, folktales and lore, traditional costumes, Czech festivals of Nebraska and the following areas of interest:

• The Roots of the Poet's Song: Growing Up in South Omaha
• Czech Neighborhoods of Omaha

Ho for America: Northern European Immigrants to the Midwest in the 19^th Century

By Jeff Kappeler
Stories of immigrants who settled Nebraska contain fascinating accounts of sacrifice, courage and endurance. The journey to America was a difficult process that is examined in three parts: the decision, the journey and the adjustment. The presentation includes packing an actual immigrant chest and other essential baggage needed by the immigrant for the ocean voyage and the new life on the prairie.

Stories of the Irish in Nebraska

By Thomas A. Kuhlman
In Lincoln and Omaha, on farms and in small towns, Irish Nebraskans left their mark on business, politics, the church, agriculture and the arts. From the establishment of Father Trecy's colony in Dakota County in 1856, the connection between Ireland and Nebraska has remained strong. Sometimes dramatic, sometimes hilarious, the stories of Nebraska's Irish immigrants range from the storing of rifles in the cellar of Lincoln's first millionaire for an invasion of Canada to the last minute rescue by a Nebraskan of Irish leader Parnell from hanging as a traitor in London.

Swedish Pioneers in Nebraska

By Laureen Riedesel
In the latter half of the 19th century, Swedes were among the largest groups that emigrated to Nebraska. They caught "Amerikafeber" and came to claim their "free land," full of hope and promise. The construction of churches and schools followed the building of their soddies and barns. An outstanding example of this pattern can be told through the story of Salem Church in rural Kearney County and the Carter School, originally located in Harlan County. These National Register of Historic Places properties are a continuing legacy of the Swedish pioneers in Nebraska.

Voices From the New Land: Danish Immigration to Nebraska

By John Mark & Dawn Nielsen
Danish immigration to Nebraska is explored through dramatic readings from immigrant letters, journals and diaries, as well as slides of old photographs, drawings and scenes of present-day Denmark and Nebraska. The presentation focuses on the stories of individuals—what motivated them to emigrate, how they struggled with the land and faced the hardships of drought and the deaths of loved ones. The Nielsens describe how immigrants experienced the joys of community and the satisfaction of realizing their dreams.

Latinos: Searching for the Good Life in Nebraska

By Ben Salazar
Salazar uses his experiences as a Latino who was born and raised in Nebraska, as well as other experiences such as his participation as an activist during the 1960s and '70s, to educate others about Latino issues in the state. Salazar says that “our role as members of American society continues to intrigue me.”

From Mexico to Nebraska

By Jan Wahl
Scottsbluff's Chicano community has observed traditional Mexican celebrations since immigrants arrived. This program describes annual fiestas celebrating Mexican independence; weddings, baptisms and other church celebrations; the quinceñera (the celebration of a young woman's 15th birthday); the festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12; and other celebrations. Wahl shows how these celebrations vitalize Mexican-American culture and how traditions have changed.

Vaquero to Buckaroo - Hispanic Roots of Cowboy Culture
By Ricardo Garcia
This Power Point presentation answers the question "Where did cowboys come from?" by showing how cowboy culture was developed in Mexico by Mexican, Indian and African slaves and rich landholders. Participants learn about the Hispanic traditions of ranching, branding, roping, trail driving, horsemanship and the roundup, from which the "rodeo" developed. Garcia also shows how Mexican storytelling and singing led to cowboy yarns, tall tales, poetry and ballads. History, story and music are combined to tell the saga of the Mexican-American cowboy. In English with smattering of Spanish.

Pride in the Mexican Culture

By Olga Olivares
This presentation relates the history of Mexican Americans in Nebraska and their contributions to the state since the early 1900s. Olivares describes the beauty and richness of this culture through songs, dance, proverbs, folk stories, food, posters, photo displays and other items. 

Mexican Sayings (Dichos)

By Olga Olivares 
Sayings are a treasure of the Mexican people. It can be said that sayings are a part of the Mexican culture.  They demonstrate the wisdom, psychology, and social values of Mexican people. Sayings are a manifestation of the culture, personality, character, and spirit. Sayings, or dichos, have lost some of their meanings through translations. Nevertheless, they must be told in order to preserve them.

The Irish in Nebraska, 1850-2000

By James P. Cavanaugh
This program is a review of the Irish in Nebraska from the days before the Nebraska Territory to the present.

The Irish in Omaha, 1854-2004

By James P. Cavanaugh
This program is a review of the Irish in Omaha from the founding of the city to the present. This program is in conjunction with Omaha's Sesquicentennial.