Brown, Melissa R.

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Circles: Buffalo Women's Journal of Law and Social Policy Volume 6 Article 3 1-1-1998 Ahead of Her Time: Women in History: Barbara C. Jordan Melissa R. Brown Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.buffalo.edu/circles Recommended Citation Brown, Melissa R. (1998) "Ahead of Her Time: Women in History: Barbara C. Jordan," Circles: Buffalo Women's Journal of Law and Social Policy: Vol. 6 , Article 3. Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.buffalo.edu/circles/vol6/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals at Digital Commons @ University at Buffalo School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Circles: Buffalo Women's Journal of Law and Social Policy by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ University at Buffalo School of Law. For more information, please contact lawscholar@buffalo.edu. CIRCLES 1998 Vol. VIahead of her timeWOMEN IN HISTORYBARBARA C. JORDAN1936-1996"A spirit of harmony can only survive if each of us remembers,when bitterness and self-interest seem to prevail, that we share acommon destiny."- Barbara Jordan, Keynote Address, Democratic NationalConvention, July 12, 1976Barbara Charline Jordan was a dynamic leader, powerful politician andriveting orator whose impact transcended age, sex and ethnicity. In 1966, Ms.Jordan made her mark in political history by becoming the first Afro-Americanwoman elected to the Texas Senate.Barbara Jordan was born on February 21, 1936 in Houston, Texas.Evidence of Ms. Jordan's great oratorical ability was witnessed at Phillis WheatleyHigh School in Houston where she won the National United Ushers AssociationOratorical Contest and later graduated with honors. Following graduation, Ms.Jordan went on to Texas Southern University where she majored in governmentand history.While at TSU, Barbara Jordan was an active, dedicated student. Ms.Jordan was a member of the debate team for four years, and a member of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority. It was her involvement with the debate team that began forher a series of "firsts" that would become the hallmark of her successful,professional life. Not only was she the first woman to travel with the TSU debateteam, but she also was a member of the first debate team from a Black Universityto compete in the forensic tournament held annually at Baylor College. On thatoccasion Ms. Jordan won first place in junior oratory-one of many first placetrophies in her career as a debater.In 1956, Barbara Jordan graduated from Texas Southern Universitymagna cum laude. She later went on to receive her law degree from BostonUniversity Law School in 1959. Ultimately, Ms. Jordan was the recipient ofhonorary doctorate degrees from 25 colleges and universities including HarvardUniversity, Princeton University and the Tuskegee Institute.After receiving her law degree from Boston University, Barbara Jordanserved as Administrative Assistant to the County Judge of Harris County for sevenyears. Ms. Jordan was the first Black woman to hold the position asAdministrative Assistant. After losing two elections for the Texas legislature in1962 and 1964, Barbara Jordan was elected into the Texas Senate in 1966. At thattime, she was the first Black person elected to the Senate since 1883.CIRCLES 1998 Vol. VIThe year of 1972 proved to be full of victories for Barbara Jordan. Shewas elected President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. On June 10, 1972, in thetradition of the Senate, Barbara Jordan served as "Governor for a Day," againachieving another "first" by becoming the first Black woman to head any Americanstate government. Ms. Jordan was also elected to the U.S. House ofRepresentatives, where she became the first Black Texan in the U.S. Congress. Asa member of the House, her reputation was that of a skilled politician and forceful,dynamic individual. Ms. Jordan served as a member of the House JudiciaryCommittee, the House Committee on Government Operations and the Steering andPolicy Committee of the Democratic Caucus.In 1974, Barbara Jordan gained national recognition for her impassionedspeech during the impeachment hearings on President Richard M. Nixon. Thatsame year, Ms. Jordan was elected to a second term in Congress. In 1976, BarbaraJordan won her third congressional term. Ms. Jordan also delivered the KeynoteAddress at the Democratic Party Convention that year. Her delivery of theKeynote Address brought forth another significant "first." Barbara Jordan becamethe first Black woman in the 144-year history of the organization to deliver theKeynote Address.Barbara Jordan eventually left the political arena. In 1979, she assumedthe role of professor in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at theUniversity of Texas at Austin, a position she held for sixteen years. Ms. Jordanwas loved and respected by both faculty and students alike. According to herstudents, Ms. Jordan always carried a copy of the constitution in her purse!In 1991, Ms. Jordan was appointed as Special Counsel for Ethics byGovernor Ann Richards. In 1994, Ms. Jordan served as Chairwoman of the UnitedStates Commission on Immigration Reform. That same year, President WilliamClinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award givento a civilian. On January 17, 1996, Barbara C. Jordan died in Austin, Texas onemonth before her 60' birthday.Barbara Jordan's spirit continues to dwell within the hearts and minds ofpeople across the country. Barbara Jordan exemplified honor, dignity andintegrity. Her lessons of tenacity, perseverance and love for humanity will live onfor generations to come.ByMelissa R. BrownThanks to the Rice University Web Site[http://www. rice edu/armadillo/Texas/chronology.html ]for informationcontained in this column.

Ahead of Her Time: Women in History: Barbara C. Jordan

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Ahead of Her Time: Women in History: Barbara C. Jordan

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