Barbara Jordan
American politician, lawyer, and educator (1936–1996) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Barbara Charline Jordan (February 21, 1936 – January 17, 1996) was an American lawyer, educator,[1] and politician. A Democrat, she was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate after Reconstruction, the first Southern African-American woman elected to the United States House of Representatives,[2] and one of the first two African Americans elected to the U.S. House from the former Confederacy since 1901, alongside Andrew Young of Georgia.
Barbara Jordan | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 18th district | |
In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1979 | |
Preceded by | Bob Price |
Succeeded by | Mickey Leland |
Member of the Texas Senate from the 11th district | |
In office January 10, 1967 – January 3, 1973 | |
Preceded by | Bill Moore |
Succeeded by | Chet Brooks |
Personal details | |
Born | Barbara Charline Jordan (1936-02-21)February 21, 1936 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
Died | January 17, 1996(1996-01-17) (aged 59) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Domestic partner | Nancy Earl (late 1960s–1996) |
Education | Texas Southern University (BA) Boston University (LLB) |
Jordan achieved notoriety for delivering a powerful opening statement[3] at the House Judiciary Committee hearings during the impeachment process against Richard Nixon. In 1976, she became the first African-American, and the first woman, to deliver a keynote address at a Democratic National Convention. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among numerous other honors. She was the first African-American woman to be buried in the Texas State Cemetery.[4][5] Jordan is also known for her work as chair of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform.