Celebrating Barbara Jordan

On this day, 86 years ago, Barbara Jordan was born in Houston, Texas. Jordan became the first Black congresswoman from the South. She was a revolutionary woman and an amazing lawyer.

Jordan showed promise from an early age as an amazing public speaker, even winning a national debate contest at the age of 16. She graduated high school and went on to attend Texas Southern University in Houston. There, she was a member of the prestigious debate club and graduated magna cum laude.

Jordan went on to attend Boston University School of Law before moving back down to the South to teach at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. In 1966, she won a seat in the Texas Senate and became the first Black female state senator. Jordan grew to prominence during her time as a senator, focusing on the environment and antidiscrimination. However, Jordan is most well known for her opening statement during the impeachment proceedings for President Nixon, which showcased her phenomenal public speaking skills.

Jordan went on to become the first Black female keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention. She was famous for her intelligence and eloquent speeches and broke so many barriers for future generations of women. Her revolutionary career as an attorney is inspiring to all as a tale of perseverance and incredible accomplishment.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barbara-Jordan