Barbara Jordan

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Barbara Jordan (February 21, 1936 – January 17, 1996) was an American lawyer, educator and politician. She was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. She was a Democrat.

Jordan was the first African-American female elected to the Texas Senate after Reconstruction. She was also the first Southern African-American female elected to the United States House of Representatives. She was best known for her opening statement at the House Judiciary Committee hearing during the impeachment process against Richard Nixon.

Jordan taught political science at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama for a year. She later returned to Houston. She started a private law practice.

Jordan got a Presidential Medal of Freedom, with many other honors. She was a member of the Peabody Awards' Board of Jurors from 1978 to 1980. She was the first African American female who was buried at the Texas State Cemetery.

Jordan worked as the chair of the United States Commission Reform. The Chair recommended reducing legal immigration by one-third. This work is often cited by American restriction members.

Jordan was born in Houston, Texas. She died due to complications of pneumonia at age 59 in Austin.

Recognition

 1984: Inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame
 1990: Inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame
 1992: The Spingarn Medal from the NAACP 
 1993: The Elizabeth Blackwell Award from Hobart and William Smith Colleges
 1994: The Presidential Medal of Freedom
 1995: The second ever female awardee of the United States Military Academy's Sylvanus Thayer Award 

References

Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Category:Politicians from Houston
Category:African-American politicians
Category:1936 births
Category:1996 deaths