This might not be so much a weird law, as a series of little-known laws. To understand this one, I first need to briefly introduce the Nebraska Hall of Fame.

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was created in 1961. It honors anyone who was born in Nebraska, and became famous while living in Nebraska or whose time living in Nebraska was important to their lives and why they were great. Each person who is inducted into the Hall of Fame has a bust displayed on the second floor of the State Capitol building. There are currently twenty-six (26) individuals who are in the Hall of Fame. For just a brief list, here are a few people who have been inducted:

• Willa Cather, novelist
• Father Edward Flanagan, founder of Boys Town
• William Frederick Cody, aka Buffalo Bill
• Julius Sterling Morton, founder of Arbor Day
• Standing Bear, Ponca Leader who fought to have indigenous People treated as citizens by the Constitution

All-in-all, that is not a large amount, which brings us to a few of the laws in place for how someone can be entered into the Hall of Fame.

Nebraska Revised Statute 72-728: The Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission shall not name more than one person…during each five-year period:

• During the subsequent two years of each five-year period, the commission shall review the finalists;
• No individuals shall be named to the Nebraska Hall of Fame until at least thirty-five years after such person’s demise.

Essentially, only one person can be added every five (5) years, and they have to have died at least thirty-five (35) years ago before they are even considered. You may have heard about this in the early 00’s, when there was a major controversy over the inductions. Both Senator Kenneth Wherry and Malcolm X were named as possible additions. Wherry’s side was attacked, as he played a part in the Lavender Scare in the 50’s, while Malcolm X’s side was attacked for the fact he had only lived in Nebraska for a few months as an infant, and therefore should not count.

Both were discarded when it was pointed out that, because of the five (5) year time limit on adding new members, neither could actually be considered anyway, as the most recent addition had been Red Cloud, the Oglala Lakota chief.

What this comes down to is there are many people who might deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, but do to timing and how long ago they died, are still waiting in the wings.

I’m looking at you, Johnny Carson. I’m sending in your application…in 2040.