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Becoming A Master Student, Concise, Tenth Edition
Dave Ellis | | | |
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Barbara Jordan is one of the politicians voters wish would run again. In each presidential election year since 1976, there has been speculation that she would be the vice-presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket. But when Jordan announced she was retiring from politics in 1977, she was not kidding. She meant it.
Barbara Jordan was born in Houston, Texas, in 1936. She inherited her oratorical abilities from her mother, who was a famous orator in the Baptist Church. Her mother had given up speaking to marry Ben Jordan, a poor Baptist minister. Encouraged by her grandfather to have the success her mother abandoned, Barbara vowed at an early age "to be something unusual."
Her father prohibited drinking, playing cards, and movies, but supported his three daughters in their every endeavor. He paid for college for all three and for Barbara's law school.
Jordan attended Texas Southern and then received her law degree from Boston University.
She returned to Houston and ran her law office from her parents' home for two years. To save money for her own office, she taught summer school at Tuskegee.
Her interest in politics grew when she worked as a county volunteer for the Kennedy-Johnson campaign. Two years later, she worked for her own election to the Texas Legislature. She lost that campaign and the next one.
In 1966, after the county reapportioned its legislative districts, Barbara found herself in a newly-formed district full of supporters and won the election. She became the first Black to serve in the Texas Senate in the 20th century.
In the legislature, Jordan was a spokesperson and supporter of poor people, workers and farmers. In 1972, she became Senate president pro tempore.
Later that year, she was elected to the United States House of Representatives. Another first:the first Southern Black woman to serve in the House.
In the nation's capital, she devoted herself to liberal programs. Her major accomplishment was an amendment to the Voting Rights Act which broke the voting barriers for many Spanish-speaking and Native Americans. Her fame spread during the Watergate Scandal. Millions of Americans watched on television as Jordan, a member of the Judiciary Committee, voted to impeach President Nixon.
She worked for the election of President Carter in 1976 because she wanted to experience serving in Congress under a Democratic president. At the Democratic National Convention in 1976, her keynote address drew national attention. Once again, she put her oratorical skills to electrifying use.
That fall, Carter won the election and Jordan was re-elected to the House. Many political observers were sure Carter would appoint her to the United Nations or to his cabinet. She told Carter she would accept the position of Attorney General or nothing. She was not appointed Attorney General.
In 1978, she ended her political career at the end of her congressional term. She was disillusioned with politics and turned to teaching.
Jordan passed on in 1996 and is survived by her longtime companion, Nancy Earl.
More information is available for each of the Master Student Profiles that appear in Becoming a Master Student. Start by visiting these web sites to find out more about Barbara Jordan. Then, use your favorite search engine to find more information. Remember to think critically about information you find online.
Student Voice: If you find a URL that you think your fellow Master Students will find helpful in researching a Master Student Profile, submit your findings to College Survival for posting on this web site.
Mail to: csweb.collegesurvival@cengage.com
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