Gale Eugene Sayers (May 30, 1943 – September 23, 2020) was one of the most electrifying players in professional football history, a generational talent whose speed, vision, and agility redefined what was possible on the field. Though born in Wichita, Kansas, Sayers was raised in Omaha, Nebraska, where his athletic gifts first took shape and where his legacy remains deeply rooted. 

Marcia Carol Martin Anderson (born 1957) made history in 2011 when she became the first African American woman promoted to the rank of major general in the United States Army Reserve, a milestone that expanded representation at the highest levels of military leadership.

Elizabeth Davis Pittman (June 3, 1921 – April 8, 1998) broke barriers across Nebraska’s legal and civic landscape, becoming the first African American woman judge in the state and a pioneering force in Omaha’s public life. 

Marlin Oliver Briscoe (September 10, 1945 – June 27, 2022), nicknamed “the Magician,” holds a permanent place in professional football history. In 1968, he became the first Black starting quarterback in the modern era of the American Football League (AFL), a breakthrough that challenged long-standing racial barriers at one of the sports most scrutinized positions.

Bertha Calloway devoted her life to preserving and sharing the rich history of African Americans in Nebraska. She was born in Denver, Colo., and moved to Omaha in 1946 at the age of 21. Her early experiences shaped a lifelong passion for community activism, historical research, and education.

Brenda J. Council’s public life reflects the complexity of leadership, representation, and the expectations placed on those who break barriers. Born in 1955 and raised in North Omaha, Council emerged from a community long shaped by activism, advocacy, and hard conversations about equity and justice. Her path into public service was built in education, law, and an unwavering belief that systems could be challenged and reshaped from within.

Robert “Bob” Ball Anderson’s life tells a powerful American story of survival, service, and an unyielding pursuit of freedom through land ownership. Born into slavery on March 1, 1843, Anderson came of age in a nation divided. During the U.S. Civil War, he served in the Union Army, fighting for a freedom he would later claim in his own way: by owning land.

Rudy Smith dedicated his life to making Black Omaha visible, honestly, fully, and with dignity. 

Born on January 6, 1945, Smith became a trailblazer in journalism and photography, using his lens to document everyday life while bearing witness to moments of struggle, resilience, and change.

Cathy Hughes’ story is one of vision, grit, and audacity, a testament to how Black women have not only shaped American media, but have worked intentionally to expand who is seen, heard, and valued within it. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Hughes would go on to build one of the largest and influential Black-owned media companies in the nation, expanding representation and amplifying voices across the airwaves.

John Ewing Jr.’s election as Mayor of Omaha in 2025 marked a historic milestone in the city’s story of civic leadership, In the May 13, 2025 general election, Ewing defeated incumbent Republican mayor Jean Stothert, becoming the first African American elected mayor of Omaha and the first Democrat to hold the office since 2009.

Born in Omaha on November 9, 1935, Robert “Bob” Gibson, known to fans as “Gibby” or “Hoot”, redefined excellence, intensity, and dominance in professional sports. His journey from a childhood marked by illness to the pinnacle of Major League Baseball is a testament to discipline, resilience, and an unrelenting will to win.

Veta Jeffery made history when she was named President and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce in 2022, becoming the first African American woman – and the first person of color – to lead the organization in its more than 125-year history.

Ernest William “Ernie” Chambers has never been a comfortable voice, and that has always been the point. Born on July 10, 1937, Chambers emerged as one of Nebraska’s most consequential civil rights leaders and the longest-serving state senator in the state’s history. For 46 years, he represented North Omaha’s 11th District in the Nebraska Legislature, serving from 1971 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2021, shaping public policy with relentless conviction and intellectual rigor.

Tanya Cook has built a career at the intersection of public policy, urban affairs, and strategic communication. Across state government, the Nebraska Legislature, and into the private sector, her work has consistently focused on effective governance and the practical connection between leadership and community needs.

Captain Alfonza W. Davis’s story bridges Omaha’s local spirit and the global impact of the Tuskegee Airmen. Born in 1919 and rising to distinction in an era defined by segregation and unequal opportunity, Davis used discipline, intellect, and courage to push past barriers others said could not be crossed.

Willie Barney is one of North Omaha’s most influential contemporary leaders, recognized nationally for advancing economic development, neighborhood revitalization, and systems-level change rooted in collaboration and data-driven action. For more than three decades, Barney has worked at the intersection of strategy, community building, and execution, earning a reputation as a catalyst who brings people together to turn shared vision into measurable outcomes.

Aaron Douglas believed art could do more than decorate walls, it could challenge injustice, reclaim identity, and shape a people’s future. Born on May 26, 1899, Douglas emerged as one of the most influential visual artists of the 20th century and a defining creative force of the Harlem Renaissance. His work helped give visual language to Black life, history, and resistance at a time when those stories were routinely erased.

Mildred D. Brown understood the power of a voice, and she built one that carried an entire community. Alongside her husband, she co-founded The Omaha Star, a newspaper created to inform, connect, and uplift Omaha’s African American community.

Dr. Matthew Oliver Ricketts represents the kind of leadership that quietly but permanently reshapes history. Born in 1858 to parents who had been enslaved near New Castle, Kentucky, Ricketts’ life journey speaks to perseverance in the face of systems designed to exclude. His legacy is not only one of “firsts,” but of intentional service to the community.

For Omaha, Malcolm X is more than a historical figure; he is a reminder that world-changing leadership can emerge from our own neighborhoods. His legacy challenges us to speak truth boldly, organize intentionally, and never apologize for demanding justice.