This page is response to Adam Fletcher Sasse and his blatant embellishment and fabrication of North Omaha history as it pertains to Mister C’s Restaurant.
First, who is Adam Flethcer Sasse? Sasse is a self-proclaimed North Omaha historian, a Canadian that spent a little over a decade in North Omaha.
Who am I? I am David Caniglia, son of Mister C (Yano Caniglia). I spent most of my life in north Omaha. While myself and my family were negotiating a way home through the North Omaha riots of the 1960’s, Adam fletcher Sasse had yet to be born. I did not need to do much research on North Omaha history, I was experiencing it.
Sasse has a North Omaha history group on Facebook. I would recommend if you are part of that group, not to disagree with the moderator’s version of history or you will be banned. Other Omaha history groups have been formed due to this reason. I was blocked from his group but for more colorful reasons. One day I woke to see horrible falsehoods posted about my family’s restaurant. Before I took a deep breath and calmed down, my fingers hit the keyboard. I posted that I wanted to meet Sasse face to face so I could tell him to go “F” himself in person. Understandably, I was banned. I really could not care less, and I would still like to meet Sasse in person.
Now to the nitty gritty:
Sasse claims that Mister C’s refused to serve African Americans in the dining room. I believe this happened once and was an isolated incident. Mister C felt to avoid what was about to be a physical confrontation between a few white customers and a black gentleman in the dining room, he kindly asked the man to leave. It was pressure that Mister C would never allow to get the best of him again. Mister C never had a rule barring African American patrons a seat in our dining room. However, many chose not to venture in. The climate around the country (Jim Crow Laws) at the time made blacks extremely uncomfortable and fearful to dine inside or at the counter. Racism was prevalent in north and east Omaha. I know, I saw it first-hand.
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​Sasse also states in his book that there were protests concerning this incident. What comes to your mind when you hear “protests”? Angry crowds of people picketing? The protest in question was merely a written letter, but that does not sound remarkably interesting and won’t sell books.
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As far as Sasse's claim that African Americans were finally allowed in Mister C's dining area in 1963, that is totally made up. I can only guess that he came to that conclusion because Jim Crow laws were abolished around that time.
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Next, and this one really chaps my hide. Sasse states in his book that blacks were only allowed to pick up food from Mister C’s back door. The door Sasse speaks of is mythical, it simply did not exist! Sasse’s statement is an outright fabrication and a horrible lie, but once again I am sure it helps to sell books. Where whites and blacks alike did get their food was at our self-serve pick-up window. It was fast, convenient and located in “front” of our restaurant.
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That is all I have to say about this. I felt this web page was necessary to post. Any time there is some type of racial unrest passages from Sasse’s book are shared on social media. It is unfortunate because I think most of what Sasse writes is accurate. But knowing what was made up or embellished about my family, makes me skeptical of his historical accuracy.
It is hard to conceive that racism and all of its hatred and ignorance is part of our country's very recent history, and is still alive today.
David Caniglia
