If you’ve ever wandered the second-floor corridors of the Nebraska State Capitol’s Great Hall, you may have come across a small but powerful display: a series of four bronze busts honoring some of the state’s most remarkable citizens. Among them stands the likeness of Father Edward J. Flanagan, founder of Boys Town.
To be featured here is no small thing. Flanagan shares this space with towering figures like General John J. Pershing, William “Buffalo Bill” Cody and author Willa Cather. Their contributions shaped not just Nebraska, but the broader American story. And Flanagan’s legacy—rooted in compassion, courage and innovation—more than earns him a place among them.
Father Flanagan founded Boys Town in 1917 with a vision that radically challenged the status quo. At a time when “troubled” boys were often cast aside or criminalized, he believed something deeply different: There are no bad boys, only bad environments. His model of care emphasized love, education, job training and a sense of shared responsibility. Boys Town became a thriving, self-governed community—a bold experiment in hope and human potential.
Though firmly rooted in Nebraska, Flanagan’s influence reached far beyond its borders. His advocacy for humane treatment of children earned him the title of Monsignor from Pope Pius XI in 1937 and took him around the world to advise others on child care reform. His death in 1948 did not end his legacy—it only magnified it.
In recognition of his extraordinary impact, Father Flanagan was inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1965–66, just a few years after the Hall’s creation. He was the only priest among the early honorees and one of the first four individuals to receive a bronze bust in the Capitol’s Great Hall, joining Cather, Cody and Pershing. Sculpted by artist Paul Granlund and installed in 1967, the bust honors a man whose life embodied both compassion and action.
Father Flanagan’s bronze likeness doesn’t just mark a historical figure—it reflects a legacy of radical love, social justice and unwavering belief in the potential of every child. His presence in the Capitol is a reminder that Nebraska’s greatness includes not only military leaders and cultural icons, but also quiet revolutionaries who changed the world one child at a time.
