Mayor John W. Ewing Jr. sat behind his desk in a large, wood-paneled, classically decorated space at 1819 Farnam Street, sunlight pouring in through the east-facing windows that spanned the room. While he admitted he hadn’t spent much time at the desk during his first 100 days in office, as he was busy hitting the ground running, its surroundings revealed a great deal about him. He was surrounded by pictures of his family representing his truth, medals from his long career representing his justice, and an American flag standing tall behind him. To his right was a shaker bottle with a Superman symbol on it, a motif seen all around his office.
Ewing’s recent election as mayor of Omaha was historic. Winning with 57% of the vote, he became the first African American mayor in the history of Nebraska. Maybe there was some lingering doubt about whether that could happen in this red state. But he won, and it made perfect sense that he did. He’s a man with over 40 years in public service, a man who made solid connections over the course of decades, a man who made it clear that he would work cooperatively in every sector, and a man who picked the perfect time to run: a time when Omaha was changing. Even incumbent Jean Stothert, who lost the race to Ewing after a 12-year stint, acknowledged this change, stating, “We’re not purple. We’re blue,” during her last interview with the Omaha World-Herald. Omaha was ready for change.
A young Ewing began his career in the police force, serving for 25 years and eventually becoming deputy chief. He and his wife of 41 years, Dr. Viv Ewing, charged on through the years in faith together, raising two daughters and serving the community. Even before the history-making feat of becoming the first African American mayor in Nebraska, he made history as the first African American to win a county-wide election by becoming Douglas County Treasurer and serving for 18 years. For the new mayor, this seat is just another opportunity to do what he set out to do from the beginning—to serve the people of Omaha…