John Adams Jr. (Nebraska politician)

American politician

John Adams Jr.

Member of the Nebraska Legislature
from the 9th (Representatives, 1935), 5th (Unicameral, 1937-1941)[1] district
In office
1935–1941
Preceded by| Johnny Owen
Succeeded by| Dr. Harry Foster
Personal details
Born| (1906-08-14)August 14, 1906
Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Died| April 19, 1999(1999-04-19) (aged 92)
Political party| Republican[2]
Spouse| Constance Singleton
Alma mater| A.B. and LL.B. degrees from University of Nebraska[2]
Occupation| Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance|  United States
Branch/service|  United States Army
Years of service| 1943–46 (U.S. Army)
Rank|  Captain and Judge Advocate (US)
Battles/wars| World War II

John Adams Jr. (August 14, 1906 – April 19, 1999) was an American lawyer and Republican politician and a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. He was born in Columbia, South Carolina and lived in Omaha, Nebraska after 1923. He served in the last session of the Nebraska House of Representatives and was the only black member of the Nebraska unicameral's first session in 1937, where he served until 1941. He was named by the Omaha World Herald as one of the Legislature's 16 most able members.[1] While a legislator, he introduced what became the states first public housing law and supported other welfare legislation.[1] He also served as an honorary sergeant at arms at the 1936 Republican National Convention and as a Judge Advocate at Camp Knight in Oakland, California during World War II.[1]

## Life

[edit]

Adams was born August 14, 1906, in Columbia, South Carolina[2] to the Reverend John Adams Sr. and Hattie (Bowman) Adams. Adams Sr. was an attorney and minister of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and served in the Unicameral after his son, from 1949 until he died in 1962. Adams attended Pueblo High School (class of 1923) in Pueblo, Colorado before the family moved to Nebraska in 1923 and Adams attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he was one of 21 black students and the only black member of the Law School class of 1929 (he also received his undergraduate degree from UNL in 1927). Adams participated in junior boxing, for instance, coming in second in the middleweight class (160 pounds) to Joe Ban in April 1929 MidWestern AAU senior boxing championships.[3] His brothers, Ralph W. and Harold S were also UNL alumni and Ralph W. was a graduate of the Law School and served as a lawyer in Omaha. Adams enlisted as an infantry officer in World War II in April 1932 [4] and was promoted to Captain as trial judge advocate at Camp Knight in Oakland, California.[5] Ralph and Harold also served in the war.[6] He returned to California and specialized in real estate law. He continued to work for the Republican party in California, working with Ronald Reagan's gubernatorial election. Still, he said he voted for Jimmy Carter over Reagan for president.

## Law

[edit]

Adams was initially a criminal lawyer and occasionally was involved in civil rights cases. In one case, he sued a restaurant that initially refused to serve him and his wife. When the police came and told the restaurant that the law required the restaurant to serve the Adams', the restaurant served a hamburger with an "inedible" amount of salt. The police initially told Adams that they didn't have civil rights complaint forms, so he had to type up his own. Eventually, the case went to court, and Judge Lester Palmer found the restaurant guilty and ordered a fine of $40. The complaint was and the fine rescinded when the restaurant agreed to change its policy. In another incident, Adams was arrested for refusing to move to the Jim Crow section in the balcony of a movie theater. When he arrived at the station, the Police Chief (Robert Samardick) released Adams and reprimanded the officer.[1] Adams was also active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.[7] Later in life, he worked as a real estate lawyer.[1] Adams was the first second-generation black lawyer in Nebraska and less than two years out of law school saw a case before the Nebraska Supreme Court.[8]

## Politics

[edit]

John Adams Jr.'s first campaign for the state legislature was in 1932 when he ran in the tenth district against Democrat Edward J Dugan (Adams received 1,402 votes against Dugan's 2,594 in a democratic landslide).[9] In 1934 he won the election in the Ninth District Election against incumbent Democrat Johnny Owen and policeman Dan Phillips (1,308 votes to 1,207 and 1,183).[10] He replaced Democrat Johnny Owen, who was first elected in 1933.[11] Owen's Republican predecessor in the ninth was Republican John Andrew Singleton, a black dentist with whom Adams had previous political involvement, forming the Consolidated Negro Political Organization in March 1933. The organization was also included in its executive council, John O. Wood, Andrew Stuart, and Harry Anderson.[12]

In 1936, Adams was opposed to the transformation of the Nebraska legislature to the unicameral form. He served in the 9th district of the House, a district bounded by Cumming Street, Pratt Street, 42nd Street, and the Missouri River. His new district, the fifth, in the Unicameral, was to be expanded north to Ames and Sprague Streets, increasing white voters' proportion. However, in the 1937 election, over 80 percent of his votes came from white voters, and he defeated white Democrat, Edgar D Thompson (7,313 votes to 6,681).[1] In the election, he noted his opposition to sales and income taxes, his support for governor appointment over the election for judges, and support for unemployment insurance and educational financing.[13] For the 1939 legislature, Adams Jr. defeated Dr. Harry Foster (5,808 votes to 5,632), campaigning against new taxes.[14] Again for the 1941 legislature, Adams Jr. defeated Dr. Harry Foster (8,515 votes to 7,905),[15] campaigning against new taxes and in support of various reforms to state and legislative processes.[16] In the 1942 election, Adams lost to Foster (4,175 votes to 3,957)[17] after having fought modernization of Douglas County office procedure.[18]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g McMorris, Robert, "Charter Member Once Opposed Unicameral", Omaha World Herald; Saturday, August 28, 1982; Page: 17-18
2. ^ a b c d "1936 Nebraska Blue Book", http://nlcs1.nlc.state.ne.us/statepubsonline/pubs/legisbios/leg1936-1937.pdf
3. ^ "Curtis Poet Wins Crown in Welter Class Third Time," Omaha World-Herald; Thursday, April 4, 1929; page 18
4. ^ "Men of War"; Omaha World-Herald; Wednesday, April 7, 1943; page 10
5. ^ "Men and Women in Service"; Omaha World-Herald; Wednesday, November 21, 1945; page 15
6. ^ "Mother Honors to Mrs. Adams"; Omaha World-Herald; Wednesday, May 15, 1946; page 4
7. ^ "Federal Anti-Lynch Law is Discussed"; Omaha World-Herald; Monday, January 15, 1934; page 18
8. ^ J. Clay Smith Jr.; "Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944" University of Pennsylvania Press, 1 Jan 1999; page 465
9. ^ "15 of 18 Democrats to go to Legislature"; "Omaha World-Herald; Thursday, November 10, 1932; page 9
10. ^ "Official Vote Count is Told"; Omaha World-Herald; Wednesday, November 18, 1934; page 2
11. ^ "1934 Nebraska Blue Book", http://nlcs1.nlc.state.ne.us/statepubsonline/pubs/legisbios/leg1934-1935.pdf Archived February 10, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
12. ^ "Negro Club Endorses Hopkins' Candidacy"; Omaha World-Herald; Sunday, March 12, 1933; page 4
13. ^ "For the Legislature"; Omaha World-Herald; Sunday, September 13, 1936; page 9
14. ^ "Official Vote in County"; Omaha World-Herald; Thursday, November 17, 1938; page 12
15. ^ "No Headline"; Omaha World-Herald; Thursday, November 20, 1940; page 4
16. ^ "No Headline"; Omaha World-Herald; Thursday, November 27, 1940; page 92
17. ^ "Foster Wins"; Omaha World-Herald; Tuesday, November 17, 1942; page 8
18. ^ "Adams Runs Behind Foster"; Omaha World-Herald; Wednesday, November 4, 1942; page 8

* v
* t
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Members of the Nebraska Legislature

108th Legislature (2023-2024)

President of the Senate
▌Joe Kelly (R)
Speaker
▌John Arch (R)
Executive Board Chair
▌Ray Aguilar (R)

1. ▌Julie Slama (R)
2. ▌Robert Clements (R)
3. ▌Carol Blood (D)
4. ▌Brad von Gillern (R)
5. ▌Mike McDonnell (R)
6. ▌Machaela Cavanaugh (D)
7. ▌Tony Vargas (D)
8. ▌Megan Hunt (I)
9. ▌John Cavanaugh (D)
10. ▌Wendy DeBoer (D)
11. ▌Terrell McKinney (D)
12. ▌Merv Riepe (R)
13. ▌Justin Wayne (D)
14. ▌John Arch (R)
15. ▌Lynne Walz (D)
16. ▌Ben Hansen (R)
17. ▌Joni Albrecht (R)
18. ▌Christy Armendariz (R)
19. ▌Rob Dover (R)
20. ▌John Fredrickson (D)
21. ▌Beau Ballard (R)
22. ▌Mike Moser (R)
23. ▌Bruce Bostelman (R)
24. ▌Jana Hughes (R)
25. ▌Carolyn Bosn (R)
26. ▌George Dungan III (D)
27. ▌Anna Wishart (D)
28. ▌Jane Raybould (D)
29. ▌Eliot Bostar (D)
30. ▌Myron Dorn (R)
31. ▌Kathleen Kauth (R)
32. ▌Tom Brandt (R)
33. ▌Steve Halloran (R)
34. ▌Loren Lippincott (R)
35. ▌Ray Aguilar (R)
36. ▌Rick Holdcroft (R)
37. ▌John Lowe (R)
38. ▌Dave Murman (R)
39. ▌Lou Ann Linehan (R)
40. ▌Barry DeKay (R)
41. ▌Fred Meyer (R)
42. ▌Mike Jacobson (R)
43. ▌Tom Brewer (R)
44. ▌Teresa Ibach (R)
45. ▌Rita Sanders (R)
46. ▌Danielle Conrad (D)
47. ▌Steve Erdman (R)
48. ▌Brian Hardin (R)
49. ▌Jen Day (D)

* ▌Nonpartisan Republican (33)
* ▌Nonpartisan Democratic (15)
* ▌Nonpartisan Independent (1)
* List of past legislatures

Preceded by

Johnny Owen

|  Nebraska Legislature District 9
1935-1937  | End of Bicameral Legislature

|
|

Beginning of Unicameral Legislature  |  Nebraska Legislature District 5
1937-1941  | Succeeded by

Dr. Harry Foster

|
|

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North Omaha, Nebraska

History|

* Timeline
* Racial tension
* Civil Rights Movement

Neighborhoods|

* Squatter's Row
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* Benson
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* Gifford Park
* Gold Coast
* Kountze Place
* Miller Park
* Walnut Hill
* Orchard Hill
* Florence
* East Omaha
* Saratoga
* Scriptown
* Casey's Row
* Near North Side

Events|

* Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition
* 1960s/70s riots
* Rice–Poindexter case
* Shooting of Vivian Strong

Landmarks|

* Kountze Park
* Omaha Driving Park
* Omaha University
* Redick Mansion
* Logan Fontenelle Housing Project
* Dreamland Ballroom
* Fort Lisa
* Cutler's Park
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* Prospect Hill Cemetery
* Fort Omaha
* General Crook House
* Storz Brewery
* Bank of Florence
* The Sherman
* Broomfield Rowhouse
* Carter Lake
* Minne Lusa Theater

People|

* List of people from North Omaha
* German
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* African American

Culture|

* Fair Deal Cafe
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* Dreamland Ballroom
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* Stone Soul Picnic

Schools|

* Howard Kennedy School
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Churches|

* Calvin Memorial Presbyterian Church
* Holy Family Catholic Church
* Pearl Memorial United Methodist Church
* Sacred Heart Catholic Church
* Salem Baptist Church
* St. Cecilia Cathedral
* St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church
* Zion Baptist Church

Transportation|

* North Freeway/US 75
* Eppley Airfield
* North Omaha Airport
* Metro Area Transit
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* Mormon Bridge
* Dodge
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* Florence Boulevard
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* John A. Creighton Boulevard
* Lincoln Boulevard

Other|

* List of African-American historic places

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