Working among Omaha's poor, he established and operated a shelter for unemployed men and later, in 1917, founded the Home for Homeless Boys. Because the downtown facilities were inadequate, he established Boys Town, ten miles west of Omaha, in 1921. Under Flanagan's direction, Boys Town grew to be a large community with its own boy-mayor, schools, chapel, post office, cottages, gymnasium, and other facilities where boys between ages 10 and 16 could receive an education and learn a trade. Incorporated in 1936, the village was featured in a 1936 motion picture starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. Another movie, "Men of Boys Town", was made in 1941.
Flanagan received many awards for his work with the homeless and delinquent boys. He served on several committees and boards dealing with the welfare of children, and was the author of articles on child welfare. Internationally known, Flanagan traveled to Japan and Korea in 1947 to study child welfare problems. He made a similar trip to Austria and Germany and while in Germany, died on May 15, 1948. He was buried in the Dowd Chapel at Boys Town. Flanagan was made a member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1965.
Born Malcolm Little in Omaha on May 19, 1925, Malcolm was the son of a Baptist preacher who was also involved in civil rights reform. Malcolm tragically lost both of his parents while at a very young age.
Having left school after the eighth grade, Malcolm made his way to New York City where he worked a variety of odd jobs. Soon, however, Malcolm became part of the underworld life of the Harlem ghetto, selling and using drugs. He was convicted and sentenced to a 10-year prison term in 1946.
While in prison, Malcolm became acquainted with the Black Muslim sect headed by Elijah Muhammad and converted to its utopian and racist point of view. Paroled from prison in 1952, he soon became an outspoken defender of Muslim doctrines, accepting the basic argument that evil was an inherent characteristic of the "white man's Christian world."
Unlike Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm sought publicity, making several provocative and inflammatory speeches to predominately white civic groups and college campus audiences. He spoke bitterly of a philosophy of vengeance and branded white people "devils."
In 1963, Malcolm was suspended from the Black Muslim movement by Elijah Muhammad. He soon formed his own protest group, the Organization of Afro-American Unity.
In 1964, Malcolm made a pilgrimage to Mecca, changed his name to Al Hajj Malik al-Shabazz, and modified his views to encompass the possibility that not all white people were evil and that progress in the black struggle could be made with the help of world organizations, other black groups and even progressive white groups.
In 1965, Malcolm X was murdered in New York City. His life, the gradual evolution of his world philosophy and his violent end had significant impact on the thinking of Afro-Americans for three decades.