Ernie Chambers: North Omaha’s Uncompromising Voice for Justice
Ernie Chambers
Legacy Maker | North Omaha, Nebraska
Story by Aniya Porter
Ernie Chambers has never been a comfortable voice, and that has always been the point.
Born on July 10, 1937, in Omaha, Nebraska, Ernest William “Ernie” Chambers emerged as one of the state's most consequential civil rights leaders and the longest-serving state senator in Nebraska 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.
For much of his tenure, Chambers was the only African American senator in the Legislature. In an institution where dissent was often unwelcome, he used the law, debate, and procedural mastery to challenge racism, capital punishment, police misconduct, and government overreach. His presence fundamentally altered Nebraska’s political landscape, forcing conversations many sought to avoid and insisting that justice be more than rhetoric.
Chambers made history repeatedly. In 1986, he became the first African American to have run for governor of Nebraska, bringing civil rights, accountability and systemic inequity into statewide political debate. He was among the earliest African American candidates to seek statewide federal office in Nebraska. For many years, Chambers was the only openly atheist member of any state legislature in the nation, a distinction he neither concealed or softened, even when it invited controversy.
What defined Chambers most was his unwavering accountability to the people of North Omaha. He did not govern to be liked. He governed to be effective. His deep command of the legislative process made him a formidable advocate and, at times, an immovable force, particularly when blocking policies he believed would harm marginalized communities.
Ernie Chambers’ legacy is one of endurance, courage, and intellectual defiance. He proved that representation matters, not when it is polite, but when it is fearless. In a state that often resisted change, Chambers became the change, reminding Nebraska that democracy requires discomfort, honesty, and voices willing to stand alone so others do not have to.
Know a Black community leader whose story should be told? Nominate them by emailing office@lozafina.com.
