Omaha street could be renamed to honor civil rights icon and teacher

Former Creighton Prep students push to rename Western Avenue after Tessie O. Edwards

Mar. 16, 2026 at 10:55pm

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Former students of Creighton Prep are urging the Omaha City Council to rename a stretch of Western Avenue in front of the school to honor their longtime teacher, Tessie O. Edwards, a civil rights advocate who spent decades at the school and helped establish a scholarship that has assisted nearly 500 students.

Why it matters

Renaming the street would recognize Edwards' legacy as a civil rights pioneer who fought against racial discrimination and her lasting impact on the Creighton Prep community through her decades of teaching and the scholarship program she helped establish.

The details

Nominating documents show that Edwards was a member of the DePorres Club, which fought against racial discrimination, and that she opposed discrimination against Black customers and employees by the Omaha Restaurants Association and Coca-Cola. During her tenure at Creighton Prep, a scholarship in her name has helped nearly 500 students attend the school, bringing together students from diverse backgrounds.

  • The Omaha City Council is expected to vote on the renaming proposal on Tuesday.

The players

Tessie O. Edwards

A civil rights advocate and longtime teacher at Creighton Prep, where a scholarship in her name has helped nearly 500 students attend the school.

Bill Gast

A former student of Tessie O. Edwards at Creighton Prep who is pushing for the street renaming.

Bob Caniglia

A former student of Tessie O. Edwards at Creighton Prep who is pushing for the street renaming.

Omaha City Council

The governing body that will vote on the proposal to rename a stretch of Western Avenue in front of Creighton Prep to honor Tessie O. Edwards.

Creighton Prep

The high school where Tessie O. Edwards taught for decades and where a scholarship in her name has helped nearly 500 students attend.

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What they’re saying

“Every time I see her picture, I can still hear her voice.”

— Bill Gast, Former student of Tessie O. Edwards (3newsnow.com)

“By having students come to Creighton Prep on scholarships, and meeting kids that lived out in West Omaha, and so it just brought these kids together.”

— Bob Caniglia, Former student of Tessie O. Edwards (3newsnow.com)

What’s next

The Omaha City Council is expected to vote on the proposal to rename the stretch of Western Avenue in front of Creighton Prep to honor Tessie O. Edwards on Tuesday.

The takeaway

Renaming the street would be a fitting tribute to Tessie O. Edwards' legacy as a civil rights pioneer and beloved teacher who helped break down barriers and bring together students from diverse backgrounds through her decades of service and the scholarship program she helped establish at Creighton Prep.