Barbara Jordan was a trailblazing American politician, civil rights leader, and the first Southern Black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Born and raised in the Fifth Ward in Houston, as a child Jordan set her mind to becoming an attorney. She attended Texas Southern University and Boston University Law School. She first gained national prominence during the Watergate scandal, when her eloquent speech in the impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon in 1974 captured the nation's attention.
Jordan’s speech in the House Judiciary Committee hearings was a powerful defense of the U.S. Constitution and a call for accountability, underscoring the principle that "the Constitution applies to everyone, even the President." Her clarity, moral authority, and command of constitutional principles made her one of the most respected voices of that era. In a time of political crisis, her leadership exemplified integrity and commitment to justice, contributing to the momentum that led to Nixon’s resignation.
Beyond Watergate, Jordan was a significant figure in the broader movements for civil rights and gender equality. As an African American woman in Congress during the 1970s, she broke multiple barriers. Her election was a profound symbol of progress during the civil rights movement, which was still shaping American society. Jordan was a vocal advocate for civil rights legislation, voting rights, and economic justice for marginalized communities.
The new book by Mary Ellen Curtin “She Changed the Nation: Barbara Jordan’s Life and Legacy in Black Politics” offers a new portrait of Jordan. Recognized as one of the greatest orators of modern America, Jordan inspired millions, and Black women became her most ardent supporters. Many assumed Jordan would rise higher and become a US senator, Speaker of the House, or a Supreme Court justice. But illness and disability, along with the obstacles she faced as a Black woman, led to Jordan’s untimely retirement from elected office―though not from public life.
Guest:
Mary Ellen Curtin is a historian of modern African American and women's social and political history. Her new book is “She Changed the Nation: Barbara Jordan’s Life and Legacy in Black Politics.”
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*This interview will be recorded on Monday, September 9, 2024.
