History   

Explore the history, traditions, and behind-the-scenes operation of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Cornhusker Marching Band. Discover the ensemble’s evolution, musical style, game-day preparation, and the dedication required of its student musicians. Learn how the “Pride of All Nebraska” brings its performances to life. A guided tour of the new building will follow the presentation.

Thousands of quilts are stored at the International Quilt Museum. Go behind the scenes to tour the climate-controlled storage area and learn how staff and volunteers care for the world’s largest public quilt collection. Afterward, explore the galleries and current exhibitions at your own pace.

Discover the life and work of Nebraska author Bess Streeter Aldrich who published over 160 short stories and articles, nine novels and one novella. Visit her historic Elmwood home and step back to 1946 to meet Mrs. Aldrich (character portrayer), enjoy tea and her signature Lady Baltimore Cake, and tour her home. In class, explore “A Lantern in Her Hand,” “The Lieutenant’s Lady,” and selected short stories. Information about obtaining these books will be provided after registration.

Utilizing Russell Shorto’s novels entitled “The Island at the Center of the World” and “Taking Manhattan,” explore the dramatic beginnings of New Amsterdam, revealing a story “more than a handful of beads.” Analyze how the confluence of diversity, capitalism, and pluralism fostered America’s first modern society. Concurrently, examine the painful legacy of slavery and the displacement of Native Americans that fundamentally shaped the city and continues to define the nation.

Utilizing Russell Shorto’s novels entitled “The Island at the Center of the World” and “Taking Manhattan,” explore the dramatic beginnings of New Amsterdam, revealing a story “more than a handful of beads.” Analyze how the confluence of diversity, capitalism, and pluralism fostered America’s first modern society. Concurrently, examine the painful legacy of slavery and the displacement of Native Americans that fundamentally shaped the city and continues to define the nation.

Learn about the Museum and the life of artist and Holocaust survivor Samuel Bak. Then, tour the exhibition of artworks by Samuel Bak, Dinh Q. Lê, Mladen Miljanovic, Serge Alain Nitegeka, and Maja Ruznic. These artists are survivors of 20th century genocides and use their art as a means of building collective memory of the violence they witnessed. The tour includes opportunities for written or drawn reflections and group conversations.

Explore the Lincoln-Lancaster County Genealogical Society’s amazing resource library. From books, periodicals, and maps to local oral histories and online resources, the library can assist with your family research journey. Guided by society members, learn about what is available and receive hands-on experience with the materials. Although the library specializes in local resources, there are also U.S. and International resources.

Severe weather comes to us through our senses, whether it’s the sound of thunder, the feel of high winds and driving rain, the view of storm clouds or the soreness in our joints when bad weather is predicted. Learn the details behind severe weather statistics, safety and terminology. Stories of historic storms and tornadoes will be shared, enhanced by many pictures and videos.

Severe weather comes to us through our senses, whether it’s the sound of thunder, the feel of high winds and driving rain, the view of storm clouds or the soreness in our joints when bad weather is predicted. Learn the details behind severe weather statistics, safety and terminology. Stories of historic storms and tornadoes will be shared, enhanced by many pictures and videos.

The General Crook House Museum is the authentically restored home of Civil War and National Indian Wars hero, General George Crook. The home, constructed in 1879, is beautifully furnished to represent the age of Victorian splendor and provides a vivid look at Nebraska’s early military and social history. Learn about General George Crook’s life, the homes architecture, and its role in Fort Omaha. Enjoy a docent-led tour followed by a catered luncheon, featuring a chicken salad croissant, garden pasta salad, fresh fruit kabob and 7-layer bar. Notify the OLLI office if you have specific dietary requirements.

Explore more than a century of Japanese history in Nebraska. Discover why Issei immigrants left Japan, how they moved across the United States, what brought them to communities throughout Nebraska, and how their descendants built lasting lives here. During the second session, view the 2025 Nebraska Public Media documentary “Rescuing Japanese Hall,” offering a deeper look at the experiences of Japanese people in the High Plains and across the state.

Explore more than a century of Japanese history in Nebraska. Discover why Issei immigrants left Japan, how they moved across the United States, what brought them to communities throughout Nebraska, and how their descendants built lasting lives here. During the second session, view the 2025 Nebraska Public Media documentary “Rescuing Japanese Hall,” offering a deeper look at the experiences of Japanese people in the High Plains and across the state.

Although Kansas lies outside the South, it holds a rich civil rights history. Explore two pivotal stories: the landmark Supreme Court case “Brown v. Board of Education,” centered on a young Black girl seeking to attend her neighborhood school in Topeka—now a national historic site—and the founding of Nicodemus by Black homesteaders. A descendant shares this history. Join OLLI members on a three-day trip to these significant sites.

Whether you intend to register for the trip or not, all OLLI members are welcome to attend this course.

Although Kansas lies outside the South, it holds a rich civil rights history. Explore two pivotal stories: the landmark Supreme Court case “Brown v. Board of Education,” centered on a young Black girl seeking to attend her neighborhood school in Topeka—now a national historic site—and the founding of Nicodemus by Black homesteaders. A descendant shares this history. Join OLLI members on a three-day trip to these significant sites.

Whether you intend to register for the trip or not, all OLLI members are welcome to attend this course.

The Lewis and Clark expedition, to many, is known as a trip two guys went on to “explore the west.” There was more to it than taking a trip and there were more than two guys. Explore the government organized Corp of Discovery military expedition into the west by getting to know some other members and interesting happenings on their journey. Stay after class to view exhibits and other experiences offered at the center.

“The Bell Affair” is an award-winning film that tells the powerful story of Daniel and Mary Bell, an enslaved couple who sued for their freedom and led one of the largest escape attempts in U.S. history. Using an innovative live-action animation style, the film highlights the often-overlooked history of how enslaved people used the courts to challenge their bondage. The filmmakers will share the unique challenges of bringing this story to life—working with actors spread across the country and filming without ever gathering the full cast in one location due to COVID.

Climb aboard for a fun and fascinating bus tour to two standout historic sites in southeastern Nebraska. Our day begins at Homestead National Historical Park near Beatrice, where a ranger-led introduction and short film set the stage for exploring the Heritage Center, a pioneer cabin, and the surrounding grounds. After lunch, we’ll head to nearby Wymore to visit the one-of-a-kind Great Plains Welsh Centre, home to the only U.S. cultural resources dedicated to Welsh immigrants on the Great Plains.

Nebraska’s invaluable contributions to thoroughbred horse racing began with ordinary individuals who achieved extraordinary feats in the national “Sport of Kings.” Learn about the Cornhusker State’s nine ovals from west Nebraska in Mitchell, Crawford, and Alliance; in central Nebraska at Columbus and Grand Island; and to the east in Madison, Lincoln, Omaha and South Sioux City. Each racecourse at their infancy had one commonality – all were formed, organized, or governed by their county agricultural societies.

Nebraska’s invaluable contributions to thoroughbred horse racing began with ordinary individuals who achieved extraordinary feats in the national “Sport of Kings.” Learn about the Cornhusker State’s nine ovals from west Nebraska in Mitchell, Crawford, and Alliance; in central Nebraska at Columbus and Grand Island; and to the east in Madison, Lincoln, Omaha and South Sioux City. Each racecourse at their infancy had one commonality – all were formed, organized, or governed by their county agricultural societies.

Take a trip to scenic Mahoney State Park to visit a Native American site that has been preserved in place through the efforts of archeologists at the Nebraska State Historical Society, the Nebraska Department of Transportation and the Nebraska Game and Park Commission. See and learn about the site in question and how these three agencies work together to follow state and federal cultural resources laws and preserve sites when necessary.

Discover the exhibit at the International Quilt Museum on quilts about queens and Shakespeare. Examine how queens, such as Queen Elizabeth I and the wives of Henry VIII, and William Shakespeare’s work have been depicted on quilts and the differences between historical and modern quilts. Learn how quilts were produced during the reigns of such English queens as Anne and Victoria. Enjoy viewing the exhibit, walking through to discuss more specifically the items in it.

The following package of courses were previously recorded OLLI courses. Learn at your own pace, on your own time and at your convenience. Over 40 hours of programming is available for a single cost of $30. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with the link to the package of courses.

All programming originates from OLLI at UNL.

Braver Angels: Healing Our Democracy – Barbara Dewey (1 session)

The mission of Braver Angels, a national organization, is to heal the dramatic political divide afflicting our nation – not by trying to convince either side that it is wrong but by helping people learn to converse and even disagree in a respectful and civil manner. Learn how a group of concerned volunteers is working to form a Nebraska alliance of Braver Angels and how you can get involved.

Identity Theft: A Consumer Guide – Ryan Sothan (1 session)

Identity theft can affect anyone; learn how to fight back with knowledge and tools. Explore how to monitor credit, report suspicious activity, and use fraud alerts or credit freezes. Learn over a dozen real-world strategies to protect personal information, reduce risk, and respond effectively if compromised. Whether you're securing your finances, your family, or your peace of mind, get equipped with the confidence to stay one step ahead.

Landmark Supreme Court Cases: Free Speech and Press – John Bender (4 sessions)

The First Amendment may seem clear and absolute, but in fact, it is neither. What freedom of speech and the press mean has been the subject of several Supreme Court opinions. This class will examine eight major precedents in four areas: prior restraints, libel, dissent and symbolic expression These cases have shaped our contemporary understanding of freedom of expression.

Tech Basics for Everyday Life – Ryan Sothan (3 sessions)

Build your confidence with smartphones, tablets, and the internet. Learn essential skills to stay safe online, including how to block unwanted calls, shop and bank securely, and protect your credit. Explore common scams affecting Nebraskans and gain hands-on experience with practical tools. Whether reconnecting with loved ones or managing finances, gain the knowledge needed to thrive in today’s connected world.

Global & Regional Water Issues: Challenges and Solutions – Multiple Instructors (2 sessions)

OLLI Symposium – Sept 27, 2025 - Water is one of the most critical resources for sustaining life, agriculture, and economic development. Challenges such as scarcity, pollution, climate change, and equitable distribution continue to threaten water security worldwide and right here in Nebraska. National and local experts examine policies, conservation strategies, and scientific advancements aimed at securing water resources for future generations.

Contact and Conflict – Jeff Barnes (1 session)

More than three centuries of Nebraska’s history during the Plains Indian Wars are marked throughout the state by historical monuments. Explore these instances of “contact and conflict” between Native peoples and European Americans in Nebraska and how they are commemorated, from trading, treaties, war and reconciliation.

A Life Well-Lived: Your Legacy Plan – Kevin Orth and John Love (4 sessions)

This course offers a guided, introspective journey through your past, present, and future. Explore your life story, clarify personal wishes, and create a legacy of love and guidance. Your decisions will bring peace of mind to you and your loved ones, relieving them of difficult choices during emotional times and allowing them to focus on honoring your life and the memories you’ve shared.

Community in a Time of Crisis – Day Hefner (1 session)

While the phrase “unprecedented times” is the refrain we often hear to describe these days, the deep polarization and the challenge of forming a collective identity are by no means new to the church. Explore the struggles of the early church reflected in the Book of Acts and the letters of Paul as they wrestled with how to pull together Gentile and Judean, slave and free, women, men, and so on into a new community, forging a new communal identity in response to the ground-shaking new things God was doing.

Esports at UNL: Engaging Students in 2025 – Instructor: Ryan Tan (1 session)

Esports (short for “electronic sports”) is a rapidly growing sports industry with a multi-billion-dollar market value. Over 500 million people across the world watch or compete in e-sports. This number is projected to grow to 640 million. The varsity e-sports team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln competes with other Division 1 universities across the United States. Learn about this exciting new, popular sport at UNL.

Entrepreneurial Lawyering at Nebraska Law - Instructor: Brett Stohs (1 session)

At the Nebraska College of Law, nine clinical programs offer third-year law students the opportunity to represent clients before they graduate and become lawyers. Supervised by licensed attorney professors, students provide valuable legal services to clients without means to hire a private attorney. Brett Stohs started the Weibling Entrepreneurship Clinic in 2013 and has served over 500 startups, small businesses, and nonprofits. He shares his pedagogy and passion, providing a sampling of valuable experiential programs.

Child and Youth Advocacy in Out-of-Home Care - Dawn Rockey & Monika Gross (1 session)

Learn about CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused or neglected, truant and ungovernable children and youth in the juvenile court system and about the Foster Care Review Office (FCRO) for Nebraska. FCRO volunteers oversee the safety, permanence, and well-being of children in out-of-home care. CASA volunteers advocate for the best interests of children in the court room and become a stable adult giving the child a fighting chance to gain a voice, achieve safety and stability and develop a sense of self-worth.

Contemporary Otoe-Missouria Lives Resilience – Christina Goodson (4 sessions)

This course focuses on contemporary Otoe-Missouria history post-removal to Indian Territory (1881-present), the survivance of Otoe-Missouria people and ways of life, and language revitalization and reclamation among the Otoe-Missouria and other Nebraska tribes. The course covers major U.S. Indian Policy such as the Dawes Act, Allotments, Termination, Indian Claims Commission, and Relocation.

Know Your Rights in Long-Term Care – Tami Barrett (1 session)

At some point, we or our loved ones may need long-term care. This course offers guidance from the Nebraska Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which advocates for the rights of residents in assisted living and skilled care facilities. Learn about state and federal laws that protect those rights, explore real-life scenarios, and gain tools to ensure quality care. Also learn how to connect with local resources and explore volunteer opportunities through the ombudsman program.

The most famous German spy during World War I had previously been a Nebraska resident. What was he doing here? What did he do as a spy? What happened to him? Tony Foreman has pieced together answers to these and many other questions through archival research in Nebraska, Germany and Great Britain. Join us for a session about heroism, romance, cruelty, war and espionage.

The most famous German spy during World War I had previously been a Nebraska resident. What was he doing here? What did he do as a spy? What happened to him? Tony Foreman has pieced together answers to these and many other questions through archival research in Nebraska, Germany and Great Britain. Join us for a session about heroism, romance, cruelty, war and espionage.

‘Votes for Women' was a three-generation battle nationally and in Nebraska where our foremothers' efforts included three statewide suffrage votes and Susan B. Anthony touring the state. Explore the women who led and created strategies nationally. Meet the Nebraska Suffs who spent 65 years fighting the antis with ever-changing tactics creating, in the end, a unanimous vote of our state Legislature to ratify the 19th amendment.

‘Votes for Women' was a three-generation battle nationally and in Nebraska where our foremothers' efforts included three statewide suffrage votes and Susan B. Anthony touring the state. Explore the women who led and created strategies nationally. Meet the Nebraska Suffs who spent 65 years fighting the antis with ever-changing tactics creating, in the end, a unanimous vote of our state Legislature to ratify the 19th amendment.

Richard Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” tells the tragic story of a knight and an Irish princess, bound by duty yet consumed by passion after drinking a magic potion. Their conflict between love and obligation unfolds across three acts of longing, betrayal, and destiny, set to Wagner’s groundbreaking score and evocative leitmotifs. Listen to highlights, discuss the opera’s history, structure, musical elements, and explore how it fits into the broader world of opera.

Learn about the planning and work to complete Pershing Mural tile installation and the cooperative effort with the UNL School of Architecture to create a “community connection” area around the Mural wall that includes seating, a stage, and a reflective area behind the wall. Both sections will meet in the classroom on April 13 and 20, then split into two groups for the walking tours April 27 and May 4.

Learn about the planning and work to complete Pershing Mural tile installation and the cooperative effort with the UNL School of Architecture to create a “community connection” area around the Mural wall that includes seating, a stage, and a reflective area behind the wall. Both sections will meet in the classroom on April 13 and 20, then split into two groups for the walking tours April 27 and May 4.

Journey to northeast Nebraska to discover the lives of two individuals whose voices shaped history and culture. At the John G. Neihardt State Historical Site in Bancroft, explore the legacy of Nebraska’s poet laureate and his search for meaning through story. After a boxed lunch at the Neihardt Center, travel to Walthill and visit the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center to learn how compassion, courage, and service transformed health care and community life. Between Bancroft and Walthill, we’ll stop at the Bancroft Cemetery to view the graves of Dr. Susan and her family.

This course, part memoir, part travelogue, part history, gives an overview of Vietnam from its first settlers more than 4,000 years ago through conquests, colonialization, the Vietnam War, and the current period. Examine the War’s deep impact on both Vietnam and the U.S. The instructor lived in Saigon as a teenager from 1963-65 and returned recently, providing him with a unique perspective.

This course, part memoir, part travelogue, part history, gives an overview of Vietnam from its first settlers more than 4,000 years ago through conquests, colonialization, the Vietnam War, and the current period. Examine the War’s deep impact on both Vietnam and the U.S. The instructor lived in Saigon as a teenager from 1963-65 and returned recently, providing him with a unique perspective.

Trace the roots of antisemitism from antiquity to the present day. Learn about the long and dark history of antisemitism, including the Holocaust, and its modern implications.

Trace the roots of antisemitism from antiquity to the present day. Learn about the long and dark history of antisemitism, including the Holocaust, and its modern implications.

Six women step into the roles of former Nazis and helped launch America’s space program, bringing to life the story of the team that became the backbone of NAS in the most unexpected place: North Alabama. A startling new play about the intersection of scientific exploration and moral responsibility, “The Rocket Men” asks what it means “to be an American”. Registrants are encouraged to attend the Angels Theatre Company’s production of “The Rocket Men” at the Johnny Carson Theatre. Performances run from March 12-22, 2026. Check the Lied Center website at https://www.liedcenter.org/events-page for showtimes and availability. OLLI members can enter OLLI2026 in the Promo Code field and receive a ticket at the discounted rate of $23. The cost of a ticket for the performance is excluded from the course price.

Six women step into the roles of former Nazis and helped launch America’s space program, bringing to life the story of the team that became the backbone of NAS in the most unexpected place: North Alabama. A startling new play about the intersection of scientific exploration and moral responsibility, “The Rocket Men” asks what it means “to be an American”. Registrants are encouraged to attend the Angels Theatre Company’s production of “The Rocket Men” at the Johnny Carson Theatre. Performances run from March 12-22, 2026. Check the Lied Center website at https://www.liedcenter.org/events-page for showtimes and availability. OLLI members can enter OLLI2026 in the Promo Code field and receive a ticket at the discounted rate of $23. The cost of a ticket for the performance is excluded from the course price.