North Omaha street renamed “Marshall Taylor Street” for bookseller

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Marshall Taylor died about three years ago -- but he left behind books. Lots of books.

Books that taught us African-American history; books that taught African-American children that it’s okay to be Black.

“He wanted you to educate yourself about your history, and the barriers that come along with that.”

Willie Hamilton is the president and CEO of Black Men United. He has proposed renaming a stretch of Lake Street in front of Taylor’s Aframerican Bookstore to Marshall Taylor Street.

Hamilton says Mr. Taylor was much more than a business owner.

“Mr. Taylor has been a mentor,” Hamilton said. “He’s been an advocate. He’s been a community leader for years.”

Taylor established the Aframerican Bookstore in 1990. Many times, he would give books to anyone searching for knowledge.

“It was his work that he did that really attracted so many people,” Hamilton said. “Education was the key for him, and he believed with education and with knowledge that you could accomplish just about anything.”

Hamilton says naming a street in Taylor’s honor is a no-brainer. He wants Mr. Taylor and his mission to educate to be remembered.

“If you know anything about reading about the African-American condition, you have to go down to the Aframerican Book Store,” Hamilton said. “He prepared you for the work or the history about African-American communities and African-American people.”

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