Jordan, Barbara (1936–1996)

Born in Houston, Texas, on February 21, 1936, Barbara Jordan became one of the most notable women in politics of the 20th century. Raised during segregation and Jim Crow laws, Jordan overcame race and gender as societal barriers to become one the most admired public speakers and the first African American and woman to serve in the Texas Senate.

Growing up, Jordan lived with her parents, two older sisters, Bennie and Rose Marie, and grandfathers, John Ed Patten and Charles Jordan, in an African American working-class neighborhood. Jordan's grandfather made a huge contribution to Jordan's outlook on life and education. With the determination instilled in her, she was an exemplary student at Phillis Wheatley High School in Houston. Soon, she became well known for her rhetorical ...