The history of African American politics in North Omaha first emerged after the Civil War in the 1860s and has fluctuated a lot since then. There has been an ongoing fight for fundamental rights since then.

The Earliest Black Political Action (1860s-1900s)

In 1854, the Nebraska Territorial Constitution restricted voting rights to “free white males,” a policy that led to a mob of 400 white men chasing away 20 Black voters in 1867. This early suppression was a constant reality.

Despite these conditions, the first recorded African American to run for political office was Richard D. Curry in 1870. The late 19th century saw the emergence of a new generation of leaders and more organized political efforts. In 1890, the abolitionist and government worker Edwin R. Overall ran for the Nebraska Legislature but was defeated. His friend and fellow activist, Dr. Matthew O. Ricketts, was more successful, winning his election in 1892. Dr. Ricketts became Nebraska’s first African American state legislator and served from 1893 to 1897. He was a Republican who represented North Omaha and successfully advocated for the state’s first age of consent law for marriage.

Early political influence was also found in one patronage position in Omaha. The City of Omaha’s Inspector of Weights and Measures was this position. The first African American to hold this post was A.W. Parker in 1890. This position became a form of political patronage held by Black men for the next 74 years, with other notable figures including George F. Franklin, John Grant Pegg, John W. Long, Thomas Mahammitt, Amos P. Scruggs, William S. Metcalfe, M.C. James, and Willis W. Gray.

Beyond elected office, activist groups like the Afro-American Civil Rights Club (1892) and the Progressive League of Douglas County (1906) worked to influence Black voters and legislative outcomes. They helped secure the passage of civil rights laws in 1885 and 1893 that aimed to protect citizens’ rights to public accommodations, though these laws were rarely enforced.

Alphonso Wilson, a real estate partner of James Bryant, was elected Chairman of the Bureau of Immigration for the Nebraska branch of the National Afro-American League in 1890. That same year, he was also a founding member of a national building, loan, and protective union to help Black residents in Omaha purchase or construct homes. Alfred S. Barnett was a journalist and civil rights activist who helped organize the Nebraska branch of the National Afro-American League in 1890 and served as a delegate to its national convention.

Women were active leaders in this era, too. Ella Mahammitt was a journalist and activist who edited Omaha’s Black newspaper called The Enterprise and served as president of the Omaha Colored Women’s Club. She was a vice-president of the National Federation of Afro-American Women in 1895, and the next year served on the committee for the National Association of Colored Women. Annie R. Woodbey became the first African American woman nominated for political office in Nebraska, when the Prohibition Party nominated her for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents in 1895. Ophelia Clenlans, a civil rights activist and journalist born into slavery, was an outspoken advocate for racial equality and was appointed to the executive board of the National Federation of Afro-American Women in 1896.

A New Wave of Legislative Power and Civil Rights (1910s-1940s)

The early 20th century was a period of both significant racial violence and the consolidation of political power. The lynchings of George Smith (1891) and Will Brown (1919) were acts of racial terror that solidified de facto segregation and voter suppression. In this environment, formal organizations like the Omaha chapter of the NAACP, founded in 1912 by Reverend John Albert Williams, and the Urban League of Nebraska (1927) began to take a more prominent role, lobbying for legal and social change.

Following the legislative precedent set by Dr. Ricketts, the Black community gained a succession of state legislators. After a 19-year gap (1897-1926), the next wave of Black politicians entered the legislature:

• Dr. John A. Singleton (Republican turned Democrat), 1926-1928, District 9
• Ferdinand L. Barnett (Republican), 1927-1928, District 10
• Dr. Aaron M. McMillan (Republican), 1929-1930, District 9
• Johnny Owen (Democrat), 1932-1935, District 9
• John Adams, Jr. (Republican), 1935-1941, District 9

John Adams, Jr. holds the distinction of being the first African American man elected to the unicameral Nebraska Legislature in 1937, where he introduced the state’s first public housing law. His father, Rev. John Adams, Sr., would later serve from 1949 to 1962, representing District 5.

Direct Action, Radicalism, and The Rise of an Icon (1940s-1970s)

The mid-20th century saw a new wave of direct action and confrontational politics. The student-led DePorres Club, founded in 1947, was a vanguard of activism, staging Omaha’s first sit-in at Dixon’s Restaurant in 1948 and launching a citywide bus boycott in 1952.

Black political representation continued to grow in the legislature. Ed Danner (Democrat), who served from 1963 to 1970 in District 11, and George W. Althouse (Republican), who served in 1970 after Danner’s death, were both elected from North Omaha. On the national stage, the Black Power movement gained a foothold with the formation of the Black Panther Party in Omaha. Its leaders, Mondo we Langa (David Rice) and Ed Poindexter, were met with harsh law enforcement counter-measures, leading to their controversial conviction and lifelong imprisonment in 1970.

This period was also marked by several political firsts for Black women. Elizabeth Davis Pittman became the first African American woman elected to the Omaha School Board in 1950 and was appointed as Nebraska’s first Black woman judge in 1971. In the Nebraska Legislature, JoAnn Maxey of Lincoln became the first African American woman appointed to the body in 1977.

In 1970, Ernie Chambers, an independent, was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, beginning an unparalleled career. He represented District 11 and became the longest-serving state senator in Nebraska history, serving a total of 46 years.

The Fight for Equity and The Present Day (1970s-2010s)

The fight for integrated schools defined much of the activism in the late 20th century. A 1975 federal court ruling forced the Omaha Public Schools (OPS) to begin a court-ordered busing program. The burden of this program fell disproportionately on Black students, and the resulting “white flight” to suburban districts and private schools caused a dramatic demographic shift. This program ended in 1999. In 2006, Senator Chambers proposed a controversial bill that would have resegregated OPS, a plan that passed the legislature but was later struck down by the Nebraska Supreme Court after a challenge from the NAACP.

Black political representation continued to grow and diversify. Fred Conley became the first African American elected to the Omaha City Council in 1981, and Brenda Council became the first Black woman elected to the City Council in 1994. In 2003, Thomas Warren was named the city’s first African American Police Chief. The political landscape shifted again in 2008 when Council and Tanya Cook were elected, becoming the first two African American women to serve in the Nebraska Legislature.

Expanding Horizons (2020s)

Recent years have been marked by continued activism, particularly with the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, which followed the murder of unarmed protester James Scurlock by a white supremacist. These events continue a long history of police brutality and racial injustice in the city.

The history of Black political representation also continues to be written with the election of Justin Wayne (Democrat, District 13, 2017) and Terrell McKinney (Democrat, District 11, 2020). The arc of this history culminates in a monumental political victory with the election of John Ewing Jr. as Omaha’s first African American mayor in 2025.

Fast Facts About Black Political Action in Omaha

• FIFTEEN: There have been 15 African American members of the Nebraska Legislature from North Omaha.
• 1890: The first Black person to run for the Omaha City Council and the Nebraska Legislature was Edwin R. Overall, who lost in 1890.
• NINETEEN: There was a 19-year gap between the first Black legislator and the second one (1897-1926), but there have been no gaps since.
• EACH PARTY: From 1892 to 2023, African American legislators have included seven Republicans, seven Democrats, and one Independent.
• FORTY-SIX: Ernie Chambers is the longest-serving state senator in Nebraska history, having represented North Omaha for 46 years.
• 1893: The first African American man elected to the former Nebraska House of Representatives was Dr. Matthew Ricketts in 1893.
• 1937: The first African American man elected to the unicameral Nebraska Legislature was John Adams, Jr., in 1937.
• 1977: The first African American woman appointed to the Nebraska Legislature was JoAnn Maxey of Lincoln in 1977.
• 1895: Annie R. Woodbey was the first African American woman nominated for political office in Nebraska nominated for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents in 1895.
• 2009: The first African American women elected to the Nebraska Legislature were Tanya Cook and Brenda Council in 2009.
• EACH ONE: Almost every African American legislator in Nebraska was elected from North Omaha, except JoAnn Maxey of Lincoln.
• 1912: The Omaha chapter of the NAACP, founded in 1912, was the first chapter west of the Mississippi River.
• 1950: The first Black woman elected to public office in Omaha was Elizabeth Davis Pittman, who won a seat on the Omaha School Board in 1950.
• 1992: Carol Woods Harris was the first African American elected as a Douglas County Commissioner.
• 1971: Fred Conley was the first African American elected to the Omaha City Council in 1981.
• 2025: n 2025, John Ewing Jr. was elected the first African American mayor of Omaha.
• 1869: The first Black federal employee in Nebraska was Edwin R. Overall in 1869, who worked as a general delivery clerk for the post office.
• 11 PERCENT: Omaha’s Black population in 1856 was 13 residents, or 1.2% of the city’s population, and it grew to 57,883 residents, or 11% of the population, by 2020.
• 1927: The Omaha Urban League, founded in 1927, was the first chapter west of the Mississippi River.
• 1971: The first African American woman appointed as a judge in Nebraska was Elizabeth Davis Pittman in 1971.

Omaha’s African American Elected Officials

Politician	Office(s) Held	Years Served	Life	Party	District
Matthew Ricketts	State Legislator	1893–1897	1858–1917	Republican
John A. Singleton	State Legislator	1926–1928	1895–1970	Republican then Democrat	9th
Ferdinand L. Barnett	State Legislator	1927–1928	1854–1932	Republican	10th
Aaron M. McMillan	State Legislator	1929–1930	1895–1980	Republican	9th
Johnny Owen	State Legislator	1932–1935	1907–1978	Democrat	9th
John Adams, Jr.	State Legislator	1935–1941	1906–1999	Republican	9th
John Adams, Sr.	State Legislator	1949–1962	1876-1962	Republican	5th
Edward Danner	State Legislator	1963–1970	1900–1970	Democrat	11th
George W. Althouse	State Legislator	1970	1896–1981	Republican	11th
Ernie Chambers	State Legislator	1971–2009, 2013–2020	1937–	Independent	11th
Brenda J. Council	Omaha School Board; Omaha City Council; State Legislator	1982-1988 (OPSB); 1994-1998 (OCC); 2009–2013 (NL)	1955–present	Democrat	11th
Tanya Cook	State Legislator	2009–2016	1964–present	Democrat	13th
Justin Wayne	State Legislator	2017-present	1979–present	Democrat	13th
Terrell McKinney	State Legislator	2020-present	1990-present	Democrat	11th
Fred Conley	Omaha City Council	1981-1993
Carol Woods Harris	Douglas County Board	1992-2004
Thomas Warren	Police Chief	2003-
John Ewing Jr.	Douglas County Treasurer; Mayor	2007-2015; 2025-present		Democrat

You Might Like…

MY ARTICLES ABOUT BLACK HISTORY IN OMAHA
MAIN TOPICS: Before 1850 | Black Heritage Sites | Black Churches | Black Hotels | Segregated Hospitals | Segregated Schools | Black Businesses | Black Politics | Black Newspapers | Black Firefighters | Black Policeman | Black Women | Black Legislators | Black Firsts | Social Clubs | Military Service Members | Sports
EVENTS: Stone Soul Picnic | Native Omahans Day | Congress of Black and White Americans | Harlem Renaissance in North Omaha
RELATED: Enslavement in Nebraska | Underground Railroad in Nebraska | Racist Laws Before 1900 | Race and Racism | Civil Rights Movement | Police Brutality | Redlining
TIMELINES: Racism | Black Politics | Civil Rights | The Last 25 Years

RESOURCES: Book: #OmahaBlackHistory: African American People, Places and Events from the History of Omaha, Nebraska | Bibliography: Omaha Black History Bibliography | Video: “OmahaBlackHistory 1804 to 1930” | Podcast: “Celebrating Black History in Omaha”

MY ARTICLES ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS IN OMAHA
General: History of Racism | Timeline of Racism
Events: Juneteenth | Malcolm X Day | Congress of White and Colored Americans | George Smith Lynching | Will Brown Lynching | North Omaha Riots | Vivian Strong Murder | Jack Johnson Riot
Issues: African American Firsts in Omaha | Police Brutality | North Omaha African American Legislators | North Omaha Community Leaders | Segregated Schools | Segregated Hospitals | Segregated Hotels | Segregated Sports | Segregated Businesses | Segregated Churches | Redlining | African American Police | African American Firefighters | Lead Poisoning
People: Rev. Dr. John Albert Williams | Edwin Overall | Harrison J. Pinkett | Vic Walker | Joseph Carr | Rev. Russel Taylor | Dr. Craig Morris | Mildred Brown | Dr. John Singleton | Ernie Chambers | Malcolm X | Dr. Wesley Jones | S. E. Gilbert
Organizations: Omaha Colored Commercial Club | Omaha NAACP | Omaha Urban League | 4CL (Citizens Coordinating Committee for Civil Rights) | DePorres Club | Omaha Black Panthers | City Interracial Committee | Providence Hospital | American Legion | Elks Club | Prince Hall Masons | BANTU
Related: Black History | African American Firsts | A Time for Burning | Omaha KKK | Committee of 5,000

Elsewhere Online

• North Omaha History Podcast Episode 2: Early African American Leaders in Omaha – Adam Fletcher Sasse takes us back to the 19th century to let us know about Omaha’s earliest African American leaders including Silas Robbins, Dr. Matthew Ricketts, the Singleton family, John Grant Pegg and into the 20th century with Clarence Wigington and Mildred Brown. (March 7, 2017; 15 mins) Listen online or download on iTunes
• North Omaha History Podcast Episode 3: Early North Omaha Community Leaders, Part 1 – In this episode, Adam Fletcher Sasse talks about early leaders in the Omaha community, including, believe it or not, Brigham Young! Also, learn about the founders of Florence, Saratoga, and Sulphur Springs, as well as the Kountze brothers. (March 7, 2017; 14 mins). Listen online or download on iTunes

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Bonus Pics!