Rev. Erven McSwain, Jr. was born and grew up in Omaha Nebraska.  He has fond memories growing up in the Fontenelle Housing Projects aka “The Projects.”  McSwain lived within walking distance from Kellom Elementary School where he went until about the fourth grade, and where “Ms. Hall,” as she was referred to by the students, served as the principle seemingly forever.  When “Daddy Mac” the father of six children, and the wonderful husband of Elsie McSwain, aka “Mamma Mac” was honorably discharged from the United States Army, “Daddy Mac” moved his family into a two story, four bed room brick house on Decatur Street.  McSwain lived within walking distance from Long Elementary School, where he was educated until Technical High School.  Long School was rather unique in that the principle, Mr. Eugene Skinner, and the teachers were all Africans born in America, as well as most of the students were Black.  The “Projects” were racially divided, Blacks living on one side and Whites living on the other side.  Later in life, McSwain would ask the question, was the separate living conditions by happen-stance or contrived?   As McSwain grew to adulthood, he learned that housing segregation in Omaha and cities around the United States developed slowly and deliberately through public and private policy.  For example, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) adopted the practice of “red-lining,” resulting from a discriminatory rating system.  Essentially, the rating system rated Black neighborhoods low and White neighborhood high.   Therefore, White potential home owners received loans, whereas, Blacks, whose neighborhoods were rated low by the (FHA) were “redlined” and thus, loans were denied.  While people should live where they want and can afford to live, history shows that the Housing Projects were segregated by discriminatory and contrived means.

McSwain graduated from Technical High School in 1962, and subsequently, enlisted in the United Navy, serving 5 years with an honorable discharge.  While serving in Vietnam, McSwain joined others in asking the question, “Why are we here?”  Enough can not be said about the greatness and tenacity of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. his love for others, and his efforts to end the war in Vietnam.  While their methodology and approach to the nation’s social, political, health, economic and educational problems in the 60’s may have been interpreted incorrectly by some, King and Malcolm X fought vigorously for the rights of the disenfranchised in America and with phenomenal results.  Senator Ernie Chambers, Rev. E.C. Cooper, Bishop M.J. Bradford, former pastors, along with a cadre of advocates for justice helped to influence and mold McSwain’s passion and pathos for helping people who are downtrodden and who suffer oppression.  Sen. Chambers is so politically astute and phenomenal in a plethora of ways, that his legacy will live on long after he is no longer on the scene.  Thanks “Ernie” for all that you do.
 
For approximately 29 years, McSwain has served as a public servant in City government, and 5 years in Military service.  In 1977 McSwain began working for the City of Omaha; first, as an Intake Specialist, then as an Investigator, and for years, McSwain headed up the educational arm for the Human Rights and Relations Department that included conducting a myriad of outreach functions throughout the City of Omaha.  During the Mayor Mike Boyle administration, McSwain was appointed the first African American to serve as the Deputy Public Safety Director for the City of Omaha from 1981 to 1985.  When the late Joseph L. Friend, a 30 year retired veteran with the Omaha Police, was appointed the Public Safety Director, Friend sought after an assistant and appointed McSwain his Deputy.  McSwain’s appointment met with Mayor Mike Boyle’s approval.  As his initial assignment, McSwain’s task was to enforce fair hiring practices in the Omaha Police and Fire Departments and report findings of progress to the Mayor.  The City of Omaha enacted an Affirmative Action Plan in 1971 or thereabouts, to address the underutilization, hiring and promotion of minorities (as defined by the AA Plan) in City government.  Essentially, the intent of the Affirmative Action Plan is to address the present affects of past discrimination.  About the mid to late 1970’s the United States Justice Department also issued a Court ordered Consent Degree to be carried out by the Omaha Police Division.  As the Deputy Public Safety Director, McSwain monitored the City’s Affirmative Action Plan and the U.S. Justice Department Consent Degree until returning back to the Omaha Human Rights and Relations Department in 1985.  As a Civil Rights Law Enforcement Investigator McSwain seeks to meet a mandate to prevent and eliminate unlawful discrimination in housing, employment and places of public accommodations in Omaha.  Over the years McSwain has been instrumental in recovering monetary damages and other remedies for victims of unlawful discrimination. Through investigation, conciliation and mediation McSwain has done much to eliminate unfair treatment of discrimination victims.  In the recent past, McSwain has conducted a minimum of 52 seminars and workshops per year to 100’s Individuals, in various settings, to prevent and address issues of unlawful discrimination.  Currently, McSwain assists the Human Rights and Relations Department in producing and airing Television programs and Public Service Announcements on local Radio Stations.
 
When the McSwain family moved from the “Projects” to Decatur Street in the 50’s, it was a long time before the McSwain’s had a television.  Therefore, listening to the radio was an enormous source of relaxation and entertainment.  McSwain’s imagination would run rampant as he envisioned himself a radio personality.  At the age of 19, McSwain’s wish came to fruition while serving in the U.S. Military and returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam.  The Captain of the USS Hancock Carrier invited some 4,000 Navy personnel aboard the USS Carrier, to compete in a radio contest.  The winner was awarded a monetary gift and an opportunity to be the Disk Jockey (D.J.) for evenings on the USS Hancock.  McSwain competed and won the contest and   McSwain’s only prior training in radio began when he was about 8-10 years old. As a child, McSwain made a make-shift control panel out of a cardboard box.  He painted on tuning knobs and pretend record turntables.  “Daddy Mac’s” love for Blues, Jazz and Gospel music rubbed off on his eldest son.  And so,  McSwain was a  hit as he set back and played his first record, with real radio equipment, turntables, microphones and a sound system that was state-of- the-art in the 60’s,  aboard the USS Hancock.   McSwain remembers playing his vary first vinyl (45) record “R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me” “The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.”  From that initial experience, McSwain has served in Radio since 1964.

 

McSwain’s first experience in commercial radio was KOZN and KOWH in (1970).  The “trailblazers” Bob Boozer and Bob Gibson, two outstanding sports enthusiast, and super stars, became the first to own and operate a Black formatted Radio Station in Omaha.  KOZN and KOWH were bought by these two giants, and McSwain helped to promote the “Soul Station” by seeking to employ on-air personalities.  The colossal switch from the STARR Radio Group, Inc., White owners, to Reconciliation Cooperation, Inc., Black owners, caused listeners, throughout Omaha to rejoice to the highest, like never before.  Being influenced by “Wash Allen” of Houston Texas, national renowned “Frankie Crocker” and a host of other Black D.J.’s around the country, McSwain was to become the first Black D.J. in Omaha to play Country & Western and Blue Grass music on KOZN AM 660; and to play and program Jazz by Black artist on KOWH FM 94.1, “Radio Free Omaha.”   When KOWH went silent and closed its doors in 1978, McSwain went to KOIL Radio “The Mighty 1290” - (a top 40 format.)  McSwain worked at WOW Radio for a short time.  He currently hosts the “Joy of Gospel” on KCRO “Christian Radio.”  The “Joy of Gospel” was initially aired in the mid 70’s, and is now aired twice on Sundays, in the morning - and again in the afternoon, with prayer, gospel music and Bible reading.  McSwain has been in Radio for over 40 years.

Among the many “hats” worn by Rev. Erven McSwain, Jr., he Pastors the New Bethel Church of God in Christ (C.O.G.I.C.) in Omaha, 1710 North 25th Street.  He Chairs the Nebraska Jurisdiction (C.O.G.I.C.) Auxiliaries In Missions (AIM) and is the President of the Nebraska Jurisdiction Home and Foreign Mission Department.  McSwain was educated at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Bellevue University.  McSwain met the “apple of his eye” over 43 years ago in Oakland California.  Pastor McSwain and Sondra Ann Clifton McSwain have been married for 39 years and they have three adult children, Mia, Monica and Erven III.  In 2005 McSwain was nominated to the Nebraska Radio Personalities Hall of Fame.  The McSwain’s are proud grandparents.  The McSwain’s oldest daughter, Mia, blessed the Rev. Erven and Ms. Sondra McSwain with a baby boy, Jonas Elliott, in September 2006.  McSwain enjoys reading, Civil Rights Law Enforcement, oil painting, teaching, preaching and pastoring.