JoAnn Maxey (March 6, 1940 – July 14, 1992) was an American politician who was the first Black woman to serve in the Nebraska Legislature.
Appointed by the governor to fill another legislator's unexpired term, she served in the unicameral state legislature from 1977 to 1979, representing the 46th district in Lincoln, Nebraska.
She worked as a lab technician, raised four children, and taught Sunday school for 30 years.
[1][2] Maxey served two terms as the first African American elected to the Lincoln Board of Education, where she advocated for more programs in special education, outreach for dropout and at-risk students, vocational training, and expansion of girls' sports.
Among her accomplishments was leading a campaign to obtain state funding for centers for divorced homemakers.