Barbara Jordan Statue

Barbara Jordan Statue. . , Barbara Jordan (1936-1996) was a true American patriot and a dynamic role model. Born and raised in Houston's Fifth Ward by her parents, Benjamin and Arlyne Jordan, she attended and excelled in public schools. In 1956, she graduated magna cum laude from Texas Southern University with a degree in history and political science. At TSU, she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and was one of two members of the debate team that competed against Harvard and tied in 1956. With support from her sisters Rose Mary and Bennie, she earned a law degree from Boston University in 1959 and passed the bar exam in both Massachusetts and Texas that same year. , A pioneer of achievement during a time when she acknowledged society held 'three strikes against her for being poor, black, and a woman, Jordan accomplished many firsts. She was the first African American woman to be elected to the Texas Senate, the first African American Texan to be elected to the United States Congress, and the first African American and first woman to give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Chosen to speak for her oratorical eloquence and firm stature, Jordan delivered a speech emphasizing unity, equality, accountability, and justice. A masterful politician, she was respected by many as a legislator who transcended age, gender, and ethnicity. Her pragmatic political approach and absolute integrity made her an effective leader treasured by all. , Among Jordan's many honors were the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest possible honor any civilian can achieve, induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame, appointment as Special Counsel for Ethics by Texas Governor Ann Richards, and 31 honorary doctoral degrees. including those from Harvard and Princeton In 1993, the National Women's Hall of Fame selected her as one of the most influential women of the twentieth century. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee during the 1974 Watergate Hearings, she illustrated her patriotism. and commitment to ethics and justice when she declared, My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution. According to her students, her respect for the Constitution was so absolute that she carried a copy of it everywhere she went. , When she retired from politics, she returned to Austin as Professor and holder of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Centennial Chair in Public Affairs at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. As a dedicated teacher and champion of the people, Jordan's legacy lives on in the multiple public schools that bear her name. Characterized by humility and allegiance to her roots, she devoted her time to speak with and inspire students across the country. Affectionately known as "BJ" to those who knew and loved her, she was the personification of friendship. love, and loyalty Jordan emphasized the power of unity and embodied the phrase she loved to use so frequently in her speeches, "E Pluribus Unum" - "From Many, One" , On January 17 -1996, America lost this true public servant who had become an unwavering hero. Befitting her legacy, Barbara Jordan was eulogized by President of the United States William Jefferson Clinton and former Texas Governor Ann Richards. Consistent with her tradition of firsts, Jordan was buried on Republic Hill next to Stephen F. Austin in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas a place reserved for Texas greatest heroes. She was the first African American to be laid to rest there.