STATE SPONSORED SEGREGATION IN NEBRASKA: A PERSONAL STORY

In the late 60's, I worked in a poverty program in north Omaha called the Concentrated Employment Program.. The building was located in a black section of the city. At that point in history, we some times had to go home because bombs were going off in nearby areas. I lived in and around the city for 35 years.

Omaha is segregated. The kind of segregation is no different than other northern cities. In the south before civil rights, there were signs of who could go to the bath room in terms of color and numerous other activities. With visible signs, that is called DE JURE SEGREGATION. It is open and it is noticable.As a child, I believe that I remembered seeing sections of the want ads in the Omaha World Herald that said employment for COLORED and for WOMEN. This was true of most papers.

Omaha and most cities today, practice DE  FACTO SEGREGATION. That means that there is in fact segregation but without signs or laws. On the other hand, there are affluent Blacks who live in other parts of Omaha. A good case could be made that there are a few Black families almost everywhere in the city. However, on balance, most Blacks are situated in north central and north west Omaha. Hispanics are located in the south central and portions of south west Omaha and Whites and White Africans (white on the outside but black on the inside) live everywhere else.

Senator Earnest Chambers of Omaha, from the north central , a Black, and small business man wants the city divided into 3 sections based on race. Each district would have its own money, school board, and related. At the moment, Omaha Public School system is roughly 55% minority. However, the board and administration is predominantly White and White african.

Chambers is a political heavy weight. He has a BA degree and some hours from law school. He is the only Black in the Nebraska unicameral. He makes waves. I have been to his shop with then Carl Allison (his slave name) who has a new Muslim name and was also an employee of the same poverty program. Today, Allison has his own local show in Omaha.Chambers is both loved and hated. The unicameral finally passed term limits if anything to get rid of Chambers. This is his parting shot. He, his wife and children all attended OPS. He speaks for those that want representation and don't have it.

At the moment Omaha Public Schools is trying to expand to Gretna, Elkhorn, and surrounding areas. They don't want to be divided up. As a child, the city ended at 72nd street. Today, it runs all the way to 250th street. The median street is 90th. Numerous little towns are now essentially in Omaha.

The unicameral was happy to oblige Senator Chambers. Those senators who are NOT from Omaha or Lincoln live in "out state" or  in the "tundra" Ever since the one person one vote of the supreme court, some districts that were over represented are now in districts as large as Rhode Island, but with tiny populations. Nebraska is geographically the size of the United Kingdom. "Outstaters" don't like Omaha. This is a way to get back at the urban rodents. The Governor was also happy to oblige Senator Chambers.

What is the next chapter in this on going soap opera? Senator Chambers was extremely articulate on Lou Dobbs CNN show. Omaha may set a new trend that leave both progressives and conservatives ambivalent. Chambers would say his legislation reflects reality.