Tanya Cook is a public relations professional who runs her own business. She is a Democrat who represented the Thirteenth District. First elected to the Legislature in 2009, she won several terms and served until 2017. She and Brenda Council were the first African American women elected to the Legislature. She was also the first African-American senator to serve on the Nebraska Legislature Appropriations Committee. Ms. Cook was born in Agana, Guam on November 9, 1964.

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• A History of Community Leaders in North Omaha
• A History of African American Politics in Omaha

MY ARTICLES ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN LEGISLATORS FROM NORTH OMAHA:
PEOPLE: Dr. Matthew Ricketts (1893–1897) | Dr. John A. Singleton (1926–1928) | Ferdinand L. Barnett (1927-1928) | Dr. Aaron M. McMillan (1929-1930) | Johnny Owen (1932-1935) | John Adams, Jr. (1935-1941) | John Adams, Sr. (1949-1962) | Edward Danner (1963-1970) | George W. Althouse (1970) | Ernie Chambers (1971–2009, 2013–2020) | Brenda J. Council (2009-2013) | Tanya Cook (2009-2016) | Justin Wayne (2017-present) | Terrell McKinney (2020-present)

Elsewhere Online

• “National black legislators group honors State Sen. Tanya Cook” from the Omaha World-Herald, December 11, 2016