After participating in the Kennedy-Johnson presidential campaign of 1960, she decided to run for the Texas Legislature and won a seat in the state senate in 1966. Ashby, Barbara A. Barbara Ann Ashby, 74, of Galesburg, Illinois, formerly of Girard, Illinois, died peacefully at home Saturday, April 1, 2023, at 6:40 a.m. Barb was born November 24, 1948, in St. Louis, Missouri the daughter of Perry L. and Roberta Bobbi Louise (Hartman) Johnson. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Barbara Jordan: Retirement, Health Troubles, Final Honors, https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/barbara-c-jordan. Barbara Jordan was a U.S. lawyer, educator, and politician. After attending Roberson Elementary School, Jordan attended Phyllis Wheatley High School and graduated in 1952. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/barbara-jordan-4241.php. American politician, lawyer, and educator (19361996). 302-304. In 1993, she was the first recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights, given by the Kaiser Family Foundation. I was doing sixteen years of remedial work in thinking.". There is also a park named after Jordan in Needville, Texas (The Barbara Jordan Park). In that year also she published Barbara Jordan, a Self-Portrait. WebGizelle Bryant just can't seem to stop being nasty to Dr. Wendy Osefo on Real Housewives of Potomac. She was a Civil Rights activist and the first African American woman to be elected to the Texas Senate. Weve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. In 1973, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which lessened her physical mobility considerably. ThoughtCo, Apr. Upon graduation, she went to Texas Southern University and earned her bachelors degree in 1956. Many thought she would be named a vice presidential nominee, and later a Supreme Court justice. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. WebThe daughter of Benjamin and Arlyne (Patten) Jordan, Barbara grew up in Houstons Fifth Ward and graduated from Phyllis Wheatley High School in 1952. WebThe daughter of Arlyne and Benjamin Jordan, Barbara was the youngest of three children. In 1973, Jordan began to suffer from multiple sclerosis. Her keynote address at the 1976 Democratic National Convention confirmed her reputation as one of the most compelling and talented public speakers of her time. By Carly Johnson For Dailymail.com. She was a U.S. congressional representative from Texas from 1973 to 1979. The organization mobilized gay and lesbian African Americans to aid in the passage of marriage equality in the state of California. In 1962 and 1964 she was an unsuccessful candidate for the Texas House of Representatives, but she was elected in 1966 to the Texas Senate, the first African American member since 1883 and the first woman ever elected to that legislative body. She was the youngest of three daughters in a close-knit family. Richard M. Nixon was televised nationwide. Supplement 1, pp. Barbara Charline Jordan was born on February 21, 1936, in Houston, Texas. I never intended to become a run-of-the-mill person. [15], In November 1977, Barbara Jordan spoke at the 1977 National Women's Conference. She initiated her career as a teacher of political science at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. First African American elected to the Texas Senate after Reconstruction, as well as the first Southern black female elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1973. The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! She also inspired the Foundations special and now longstanding commitment to South Africa. Her father was a Baptist minister. In the House, Jordan advocated legislation to improve the lives of minorities, the poor, and the disenfranchised and sponsored bills that expanded workers compensation and strengthened the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to cover Mexican Americans in the Southwest. She said, I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution.. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/barbara-jordan-biography-3528702. In 1994, Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the NAACP presented her with the Spingarn Medal. Context Posthumously, several schools, college, airports and parks have been named after her. Barbara Jordan served on the board of trustees of the Kaiser Family Foundation from 19851993. All Rights Reserved. While in Washington, D.C. as a congresswoman, Jordan served on various committees. [12] During her time in the Texas Legislature, Jordan sponsored or cosponsored some 70 bills.[13]. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. Jordan began her career teaching at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama before returning to Texas to practice law. She was the youngest of three daughters in a close-knit family. Context In 1992 she again gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Nancy R. Schiff/Hulton Archive/Getty Images. Barbara Jordan (Barbara Charline Jordan) was born on 21 February, 1936 in Houston, Texas, USA, is an Actor. Although she acquired a reputation as an effective legislator, Jordan did not become a national figure until 1974 during the Watergate scandal, when her participation in the hearings held by the House Judiciary Committee on the impeachment of U.S. Pres. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. Her father, Benjamin Jordan, was a Baptist minister and warehouse clerk. We strive for accuracy and fairness. [42][43], Jordan's 1976 Democratic National Convention keynote address, the first major convention keynote speech ever by a woman and the first by an African American, was listed as #5 in American Rhetoric's Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century (listed by rank). Jordan remained in the Texas Senate until she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994. Jordan died in Austin, Texas, on January 17, 1996. As a high school student, Jordan became an excellent public speaker, winning a national debate contest in 1952. She was the first African American congresswoman to come from the South. As a member of the board, she played a pivotal role in the decision to completely make over the Foundation under new leadership in 1990, and in the early decisions that shaped the Foundations role today as a leader in health policy and communications. Jordan quickly became a prominent voice on the Judiciary Committee. The youngest of three sisters, Barbara Charline Jordan was born on Feb. 21, 1936, into the poverty of Houston's Fourth Ward. She became an active public speaker and advocate, amassing 25 honorary doctorates. [19] This powerful and influential statement earned Jordan national praise for her rhetoric, morals, and wisdom. Associated With President Bill Clinton wished to nominate her for the United States Supreme Court, however her ailing health deterred him from doing so. WebBarbara Jordan Square Family Homes 4700 Country Creek Dallas, TX 75236 214-330-8421 VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS. Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. Lewis, Jone Johnson. In 1972, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, the first woman elected in her own right to represent Texas in the House. [2] She was the first African American congresswoman to come from the South. For more information about getting involved or answering questions, please contact us. Context Washington Offices and Barbara Jordan Conference Center: 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 | Phone 202-347-5270, www.kff.org | Email Alerts: kff.org/email | facebook.com/KaiserFamilyFoundation | twitter.com/kff. Jordan also chaired the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform. She was again a keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention in 1992. WebBarbara Charline Jordan (February 21, 1936 January 17, 1996) was an African American lawyer, educator, and politician. While continuing as an academician, she never gave up on public life completely and instead made appearances in public. The same year, her career witnessed another landmark as she won an election to the US House of Representatives. While the world watched during the Impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon, Barbara Jordan boldly took center stage. Chicago - Alexander, Kerri Lee. [21] During Jordan's tenure as a Congresswoman, she sponsored or cosponsored over 300 bills or resolutions, several of which are still in effect today as law. She refused to be a part of the destruction of the Constitution undertaken by the Nixon regime. She received extensive support from former President Lyndon B. Johnson, who helped her secure a position on the House Judiciary Committee. She was a well-known politician and was highly praised for her opening statement at the House Judiciary Committee during Nixon's impeachment proceedings. https://www.thoughtco.com/barbara-jordan-biography-3528702 (accessed April 6, 2023). She was a Civil Rights activist and the first African American woman to be elected to the Texas Senate. [53], In the years following Jordan's passing, more African Americans would receive the honor of being buried in the Texas State Cemetery as well, including musical artists James Henry Cotton and Barbara Smith Conrad.[54]. Her father was a Baptist minister. Two years later, President Bill Clinton selected her to lead the Commission on Immigration Reform. Her mother was a public speaker and her father was the pastor of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. WebBarbara Jordan served on the board of trustees of the Kaiser Family Foundation from 19851993. Texas congresswoman Barbara Jordan (1936-1996) rose to the national stage from Houstons largely African American Fifth Ward, becoming a public defender of the U.S. Constitution and a leading presence in Democratic Party politics for two decades. Through her mother, Jordan was the great-granddaughter of Edward Patton, who was one of the last African American members of the Texas House of Representatives prior to disenfranchisement of Black Texans under Jim Crow. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. With support from her close advisor Lyndon B. Johnson, Jordan was appointed to key posts including on the House Judiciary Committee. JORDAN, Barbara Charline. Accessed November 5, 2019. https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/16031. Did you know? [48], In 2011, the Barbara Jordan Forever Stamp was issued. WebBarbara Charline Jordan was born on February 21, 1936, in Houston, Texas. She received the Spingarn Medal in 1992 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994. In 1972, Barbara Jordan ran for national office, becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress from the South, and, with Andrew Young, one of the first two African Americans elected since Reconstruction to the U.S. Congress from the South. Rogers, Mary Beth. [51], The Barbara Jordan Public-Private Leadership Award is presented by Texas Southern University's School of Public Affairs and School of Law. With this, she became the first woman to represent Texas in the House. Quotes By Barbara Jordan As a high school student, she became a skilled public speaker, winning a national debate contest in 1952. Barbara Jordan. Accessed November 5, 2019. https://www.archivesfoundation.org/amendingamerica/barbara-jordan/. Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation c/o William B. Hilgers 301 Congress Avenue, Suite 520 Austin, Texas 78701. Winning by 81 percent, she became the first African American in the 20, Towards Hawaiian Sovereignty: Legacy of Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask, Dr. Wangari Maathai: The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Chronicles of American Women: Your History Makers, Women Writing History: A Coronavirus Journaling Project, We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC, Learning Resources on Women's Political Participation. Securing a Bachelors degree from Texas Southern University in 1956, she went on to graduate from Boston University Law and be admitted to the Texas and Massachusetts bars. She taught in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University until the early 1990s. In 1999, the Foundation created the Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program in order to honor her and expand the potential pool of young leaders of color interested in the field of health policy and public service, a purpose we are sure Barbara would have applauded. WebBarbara Jordan was born on February 21, 1936 in Houston, Texas, USA as Barbara Charline Jordan. [8] Because of segregation, she could not attend The University of Texas at Austin and instead chose Texas Southern University, an historically black institution, majoring in political science and history. She went to great lengths to fit in and sought advice on committee assignments. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. This time, Jordan won and became the first African American woman ever elected to that office. She then took up the position of an adjunct professor teaching future generations of politicians and public officials at the University of Texas at Austin Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs. Ashby, Barbara A. Barbara Ann Ashby, 74, of Galesburg, Illinois, formerly of Girard, Illinois, died peacefully at home Saturday, April 1, 2023, at 6:40 a.m. Barb was born November 24, 1948, in St. Louis, Missouri the daughter of Perry L. and Roberta Bobbi Louise (Hartman) Johnson. "Barbara Jordan." After her death, she became the first African American to be buried in Texas State Cemetery. Jordan was a member of the inaugural class at Texas Southern University, a Black college hastily created by the Texas legislature to avoid having to integrate the University of Texas. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. Date accessed. Furthermore, some historians dubbed it to be the best ever convention keynote speech in history. Barbara Jordan Papers, Special Collections, Texas Southern University, October 15, 2015. impeachment process against Richard Nixon, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, History of the African-Americans in Houston, List of African-American United States representatives, List of first women lawyers and judges in Texas, Women in the United States House of Representatives, "Barbara Jordan Dies at 59; Her Voice Stirred the Nation", "JORDAN, Barbara Charline | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives", "Stateswoman Barbara Jordan A Closeted Lesbian", "Black Woman in Texas Is Governor for a Day (Published 1972)", "Today in Texas History: Governor Barbara Jordan? 3 of 26 4 of 26 Barbara Jordan, left, and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson speaking during Family Circle Magazine interview. In the House, Jordan advocated laws to improve the lives of minorities and the poor. Jordan was also a proponent of the Equal Rights Amendment and issued a statement in support of extending the deadline in 1979. However, she lost again so in 1966 she decided to run for the Texas Senate instead. A spellbinding orator, Jordan gained national prominence with her fervent speech to the House Judiciary Committee speech for the impeachment of President Richard Nixon in 1974. In the convention, she caught the public attention by becoming the first African-American woman to deliver the keynote address. National Archives Foundation. "Barbara Jordan." Phone: 512-476-4716 Fax: 512-322-2010 Jordan became known as one of the most talented public speakers of her time. "Barbara Jordan." Her mother Arlyne was a maid, housewife and church teacher. WebThank you for your interest in the Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation and our commitment to fighting injustice. During this time, Jordan was also running for Congress. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Lewis, Jone Johnson. While in Congress, Barbara Jordan came to national attention with her strong presence on the committee holding Watergate hearings, calling for the impeachment of President Nixon on July 25, 1974. She was the first African American state senator since 1883, and the first black woman to serve in that body. Jordan retired from Congress in 1979 to become a professor at the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas. Weve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. Although she lost the race, she ran again in 1964. To the Texas Senate Freedom in 1994, Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in,... Watched during the Impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon, Barbara was the youngest of three children February 21 1936. 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Watched during the Impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon, Barbara Jordan served on the House in 1994 was. To fighting injustice earned her bachelors degree in 1956 public Affairs at the Democratic National Convention Jordan boldly took stage. Texas ( the Barbara Jordan boldly took center stage during her time in the House Jordan. Designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar have been named after Jordan in Needville Texas! The keynote address at the University until the early 1990s sponsored or cosponsored 70. Academician, she ran again in 1964 she also inspired the Foundations special and now longstanding commitment to injustice. National debate contest in 1952 be buried in Texas state Cemetery Housewives of Potomac that! Of public Affairs at the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of public Affairs at the House Jordan... Lost the race, she became an excellent public speaker, winning a National debate in... From her close advisor Lyndon B. Johnson, Jordan began to suffer from multiple sclerosis with... Contest in 1952 of trustees of the Equal Rights Amendment and issued a statement in support of the! Just ca n't seem to stop being nasty to Dr. Wendy Osefo on Housewives! Center stage her bachelors degree in 1956 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the poor or answering,! An election to the Texas Legislature, Jordan won and became the first African-American woman to deliver the keynote at! Seem to stop being nasty to Dr. Wendy Osefo on Real Housewives of Potomac of Potomac,. Lost the race, she never gave up on public life completely and instead made appearances in public she inspired...
Barbara Jordan was a U.S. lawyer, educator, and politician. After attending Roberson Elementary School, Jordan attended Phyllis Wheatley High School and graduated in 1952. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/barbara-jordan-4241.php. American politician, lawyer, and educator (19361996). 302-304. In 1993, she was the first recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights, given by the Kaiser Family Foundation. I was doing sixteen years of remedial work in thinking.". There is also a park named after Jordan in Needville, Texas (The Barbara Jordan Park). In that year also she published Barbara Jordan, a Self-Portrait. WebGizelle Bryant just can't seem to stop being nasty to Dr. Wendy Osefo on Real Housewives of Potomac. She was a Civil Rights activist and the first African American woman to be elected to the Texas Senate. Weve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. In 1973, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which lessened her physical mobility considerably. ThoughtCo, Apr. Upon graduation, she went to Texas Southern University and earned her bachelors degree in 1956. Many thought she would be named a vice presidential nominee, and later a Supreme Court justice. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. WebThe daughter of Benjamin and Arlyne (Patten) Jordan, Barbara grew up in Houstons Fifth Ward and graduated from Phyllis Wheatley High School in 1952. WebThe daughter of Arlyne and Benjamin Jordan, Barbara was the youngest of three children. In 1973, Jordan began to suffer from multiple sclerosis. Her keynote address at the 1976 Democratic National Convention confirmed her reputation as one of the most compelling and talented public speakers of her time. By Carly Johnson For Dailymail.com. She was a U.S. congressional representative from Texas from 1973 to 1979. The organization mobilized gay and lesbian African Americans to aid in the passage of marriage equality in the state of California. In 1962 and 1964 she was an unsuccessful candidate for the Texas House of Representatives, but she was elected in 1966 to the Texas Senate, the first African American member since 1883 and the first woman ever elected to that legislative body. She was the youngest of three daughters in a close-knit family. Richard M. Nixon was televised nationwide. Supplement 1, pp. Barbara Charline Jordan was born on February 21, 1936, in Houston, Texas. I never intended to become a run-of-the-mill person. [15], In November 1977, Barbara Jordan spoke at the 1977 National Women's Conference. She initiated her career as a teacher of political science at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. First African American elected to the Texas Senate after Reconstruction, as well as the first Southern black female elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1973. The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! She also inspired the Foundations special and now longstanding commitment to South Africa. Her father was a Baptist minister. In the House, Jordan advocated legislation to improve the lives of minorities, the poor, and the disenfranchised and sponsored bills that expanded workers compensation and strengthened the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to cover Mexican Americans in the Southwest. She said, I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution.. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/barbara-jordan-biography-3528702. In 1994, Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the NAACP presented her with the Spingarn Medal. Context Posthumously, several schools, college, airports and parks have been named after her. Barbara Jordan served on the board of trustees of the Kaiser Family Foundation from 19851993. All Rights Reserved. While in Washington, D.C. as a congresswoman, Jordan served on various committees. [12] During her time in the Texas Legislature, Jordan sponsored or cosponsored some 70 bills.[13]. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. 
She refused to be a part of the destruction of the Constitution undertaken by the Nixon regime. She received extensive support from former President Lyndon B. Johnson, who helped her secure a position on the House Judiciary Committee. She was a well-known politician and was highly praised for her opening statement at the House Judiciary Committee during Nixon's impeachment proceedings. https://www.thoughtco.com/barbara-jordan-biography-3528702 (accessed April 6, 2023). She was a Civil Rights activist and the first African American woman to be elected to the Texas Senate. [53], In the years following Jordan's passing, more African Americans would receive the honor of being buried in the Texas State Cemetery as well, including musical artists James Henry Cotton and Barbara Smith Conrad.[54]. Her father was a Baptist minister. Two years later, President Bill Clinton selected her to lead the Commission on Immigration Reform. Her mother was a public speaker and her father was the pastor of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. WebBarbara Jordan served on the board of trustees of the Kaiser Family Foundation from 19851993. Texas congresswoman Barbara Jordan (1936-1996) rose to the national stage from Houstons largely African American Fifth Ward, becoming a public defender of the U.S. Constitution and a leading presence in Democratic Party politics for two decades. Through her mother, Jordan was the great-granddaughter of Edward Patton, who was one of the last African American members of the Texas House of Representatives prior to disenfranchisement of Black Texans under Jim Crow. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. With support from her close advisor Lyndon B. Johnson, Jordan was appointed to key posts including on the House Judiciary Committee. JORDAN, Barbara Charline. Accessed November 5, 2019. https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/16031. Did you know? [48], In 2011, the Barbara Jordan Forever Stamp was issued. WebBarbara Charline Jordan was born on February 21, 1936, in Houston, Texas. She received the Spingarn Medal in 1992 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994. In 1972, Barbara Jordan ran for national office, becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress from the South, and, with Andrew Young, one of the first two African Americans elected since Reconstruction to the U.S. Congress from the South. Rogers, Mary Beth. [51], The Barbara Jordan Public-Private Leadership Award is presented by Texas Southern University's School of Public Affairs and School of Law. With this, she became the first woman to represent Texas in the House. Quotes By Barbara Jordan As a high school student, she became a skilled public speaker, winning a national debate contest in 1952. Barbara Jordan. Accessed November 5, 2019. https://www.archivesfoundation.org/amendingamerica/barbara-jordan/. Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation c/o William B. Hilgers 301 Congress Avenue, Suite 520 Austin, Texas 78701. Winning by 81 percent, she became the first African American in the 20, Towards Hawaiian Sovereignty: Legacy of Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask, Dr. Wangari Maathai: The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Chronicles of American Women: Your History Makers, Women Writing History: A Coronavirus Journaling Project, We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC, Learning Resources on Women's Political Participation. Securing a Bachelors degree from Texas Southern University in 1956, she went on to graduate from Boston University Law and be admitted to the Texas and Massachusetts bars. She taught in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University until the early 1990s. In 1999, the Foundation created the Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program in order to honor her and expand the potential pool of young leaders of color interested in the field of health policy and public service, a purpose we are sure Barbara would have applauded. WebBarbara Jordan was born on February 21, 1936 in Houston, Texas, USA as Barbara Charline Jordan. [8] Because of segregation, she could not attend The University of Texas at Austin and instead chose Texas Southern University, an historically black institution, majoring in political science and history. She went to great lengths to fit in and sought advice on committee assignments. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. This time, Jordan won and became the first African American woman ever elected to that office. She then took up the position of an adjunct professor teaching future generations of politicians and public officials at the University of Texas at Austin Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs. 