Meant to share this weeks ago, but it's the last day of 2020 so a little reflection and inspiration seems appropriate.

The subject? Ernie Chambers.

1/

The invitation seemed simple enough. Phoenix Academy, a private K-8 school, called in November and asked if I’d participate in a panel discussion about my book, “24th & Glory." They said a few other North Omaha dignitaries would hopefully be there, too.

Absolutely, I said.

2/

A week later, I walk into a classroom of about 25 students. I see 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. Actor John Beasley is on the Zoom screen.

But the surprise is the 83-year-old in the gray cut-off sweatshirt, the same color as his hair.

3/

Ernie Chambers doesn’t make many public appearances, even in his neighborhood. Shaking hands isn’t his style.

Of course, the black barber/lawyer/activist/legislator who calls himself "King Cobra" has been around the block.

4/

He’s protested racial injustice for 60 years. Filibustered hundreds of would-be laws.

In the 80s, he argued for college athletes to get paid. He defeated the Nebraska death penalty — only to see it come back. He even sued God.

He’s always, always his own man.

5/

But Ernie prefers a low profile. Originally he didn't want to be part of 24th & Glory. After 5 chapters ran in the paper, he called one day and asked if I’d ever taken a genealogy test.

“Don’t do it,” he said. “You might find that you and I are brothers from another mother.”

6/

Anyway, Phoenix Academy lined up 3 chairs in front. I answered a question. Then Johnny made a brief introduction.

Maybe sensing that students, many of whom face learning challenges, needed an energy boost, Ernie stood, pulled off his mask and delivered a 20-minute lecture.

7/

He described how he was an isolated child. People made fun of him. He had trouble learning his letters, so a teacher stayed with him over the lunch hour and associated each letter with a shape.

The S was like a snake.
The T was like a telephone pole.

8/

75 yrs later, Ernie led this class through the alphabet.

“A, B, C, D…”

Then backward.

“Z, Y, X, W…”

“I was fascinated by letters. Fascinated by words.” He grew up & made words do what he told them to.

“Now I’ve written things that are read by people all over the world”

9/

He told a story about going to Jimmy Carter’s White House — in his cut-off blue sweatshirt — and confronting the president about nuclear missiles and institutional racism.

He told students about confronting the United Nations regarding South African apartheid.

10/

He told them about Nebraska installing term limits to oust him after 38 years in the Legislature.

What did he do? Waited four years, then got elected again.

“I’m telling you all this so you don’t put limits on yourself. You don’t know what you might wind up doing.”

11/

“If you’ve been made fun of, if you have been laughed at, if you ... do not have friends, that is NOT the end of the world. Read. As much as you can about as many things as you can. …

“Read. Read. Read! You will never regret it. Nobody can take those things away from you.”

12/

“Who else could go to the White House dressed like I am? Who has ever been invited to address the U.N. dressed like I am?”

13/

“Don’t let anybody tell you that something is wrong with you. If they say that, something is wrong with them.

“They don’t know what is in you. You don’t even know what is in you. But I do.”

14/

At the end of the hour — we could’ve gone for 3 — Ernie asked students if they thought he could do 10 pushups. He dropped to his stomach & they counted.

“1, 2, 3, 4…”

Except he kept going.

“11, 12, 13, 14…”

All the way to 20.

Why? Because nobody thought he would.

End/