Barbara Charlene Jordan (1936 - 1996)

Born 21 Feb 1936 in Houston, Texas, United States

Ancestors

Died 17 Jan 1996 at age 59 in Austin, Travis, Texas, United States

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Preceded by
Bob Price

US Representative from Texas,
18th District
1973-1979

Succeeded by
Mickey Leland

Preceded by
William T. Moore

Texas State Senator,
11th District
1967-1973

Succeeded by
Chet Brooks

Biography

Barbara Jordan is Notable.

Barbara Jordan was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Barbara Jordan was awarded the Spingarn Medal for outstanding achievement by an African American.

Barbara Jordan was a lawyer who became the first African-American woman elected to the Texas Senate, and the first Southern African-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She became nationally known for her speeches during impeachment hearings for President Nixon, and later for her keynote address in the 1976 Democratic National Convention.^[1]

Barbara was born on February 21, 1936 in Harris County, Texas. She was the youngest daughter of Benjamin Jordan and Arlyne Patten.^[2]

In 1940, her family was living in a house owned by her paternal grandfather, Charles Jordan, at 4505 Sharon Street in Houston, Texas.^[3] Her mother was left off of the original enumeration and is listed separately on a different page of the same Census.^[4] Alice and Benjamin are listed as having four years of college education, Arlyne is listed as completing four years of high school, and Charles has a sixth grade education. Alice Jordan (her grandfather's second wife) is listed as a teacher in the public school system of Houston. In 1950 Barbara was living with her parents and brother on Campbell Street in Houston.^[5]

Barbara attended Texas Southern University, majoring in political science and history, before attending Boston University School of Law, graduating in 1959.^[6]

Barbara established a private law practice in Houston in 1960. She was elected to the Texas Senate in 1966, and served until 1972, when she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served until she retired from politics in 1979.^[6]

During her time in Congress Barbara served on several committees including the House Judiciary Committee. She sponsored or co-sponsored over 300 bills or resolutions. She was known for her eloquent opening statement at the House Judiciary Committee hearings during the impeachment process against Richard Nixon.^[7] In 1976 she became the first African-American woman to deliver a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.

After retiring from politics, Barbara taught ethics at the University of Texas at Austin. She also chaired the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform until her death.

In 1990, she was inducted into into the National Women's Hall of Fame ^[8]. In 1994 Barbara was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton and the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP.^[9]

Barbara passed away in 1996 in Austin, Texas.^[10] She was buried in the Texas State Cemetery.^[11]

Barbara has been honored posthumously in many ways, including having statues erected in her honor, and schools and buildings named after her. In 2011 the U.S. Postal Service issued the Barbara Jordan Forever stamp.^[12]

Barbara never married or had children. Her long time companion of over 20 years was Nancy Earl, who occasionally wrote speeches for her and later cared for her when she became ill. Some authors have theorized that Barbara and Nancy were partners, but neither woman was known to have publicly declared such a relationship.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia: Barbara Jordan
2. ↑ "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VDDF-XQ7 : 5 December 2014), Barbara Charlene Jordan, 21 Feb 1936; from "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing Texas Department of State Health Services.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K47R-CS6 : accessed 24 August 2015), Barabara Charlene Jordan in household of Charles Jordan, Tract 18, Houston, Justice Precinct 1, Harris, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 258-124, sheet 4B, family 80, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 4193.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K47R-WJ8 : 29 January 2020), Arlyne Jordon, Tract 18, Houston, Justice Precinct 1, Harris, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 258-124, sheet 61A, line 6, family 80, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4193.
5. ↑ 1950 Census: "1950 United States Federal Census"
   United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Houston, Harris, Texas; Roll: 5342; Sheet Number: 20; Enumeration District: 263-236
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62308 #195012168 (accessed 2 January 2023)
   Barbara C Jordon (14), single daughter, in household of Ben Jordon (47) in Houston, Harris, Texas, USA. Born in Texas.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} JORDAN, Barbara Charline, U.S. House of Representatives; History, Art & Archives.
7. ↑ 1974 speech, recording
8. ↑ National Women’s Hall of Fame
9. ↑ Spingarn Medal Winners
10. ↑ "Texas Death Index, 1964-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JVPX-PJD : 5 December 2014), Barbara Charlene Jordan, Travis, Texas, United States; citing Department of State Health Services, Austin.
11. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #6456 (accessed 2 January 2023)
    Memorial page for Barbara Jordan Famous memorial (21 Feb 1936-17 Jan 1996), citing Texas State Cemetery, Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA (plot: Republic Hill Section 1 Row N Number 6); Maintained by Find a Grave.
12. ↑ New York Times, "Buy These Stamps and Forget About Rate Increases", 2 Jan 2011.
13. ↑ "Two Bios of Barbara", Austin Chronicle, 12 Feb 1999

• Obituary from Houston Chronicle on Genealogy Bank

• Kevin Diaz, "In a life of firsts Barbara Jordan won a lasting legacy" Houston Chronicle, CHRON.com, June 6, 2016

• Congresswoman Barbara Jordan broke down barriers, Houston Chronicle (Note: subscription needed to read article).

• Mark Odintz, "JORDAN, BARBARA CHARLINE", Handbook of Texas Online, accessed August 24, 2015. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Modified on November 5, 2014. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

• LBJ Library interview.

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q461657