JoAnn Maxey was the first female African American to serve as a state senator and was known as an advocate for the young and disadvantaged. "She always asked, What can I do to make a better life for all of us, and especially young people," said Lenora Letcher, president of the Lincoln chapter of the NAACP, upon Maxey's death in 1992. Maxey was 54.  Maxey served as a state senator from 1977-1979, representing the 46th district in Lincoln. Former Gov. James Exon appointed her after Sen. Harold Simpson resigned.

She was the first female African American to serve as a state senator.

Preston Love grew up in North Omaha and graduated from North Hight.  He became renowned as a professional sideman and saxophone balladeer in the heyday of the big band era. He was a member of the bands of Nat Towles, Lloyd Hunter, Snub Mosely, Lucky Millinder and Fats Waller before getting his big break with the Count Basie Orchestra when he was 22.  Love eventually became a bandleader himself, playing with Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, his friends Johnny Otis and Wynonie Harris, with whom he had several hits. In the early 1960s Love worked with Ray Charles in California, eventually becoming Motown's West Coast house bandleader. Love toured the U.S. and Europe quite frequently into the 1990s, additionally lecturing and writing about the history he was part of. Other legends he played with included the Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.  In his later years Love moved back to Omaha, wrote a book and was an advertising agent for the Omaha Star, a local newspaper serving the city's African American community.