American experienced the period of conformity from the 1950s when gender roles were strictly defined and complied with, even though the society was gradually changing. The most affected population was the African American women who encountered a lot of difficulties, especially concerning personal achievements such as education and economic empowerment. Specifically, African American women hardly got opportunities to engage in active local and national politics. However, a few black women managed to overcome the challenges and emerged as powerful leaders in the country. Barbara Jordan was one of the leaders who defied the status quo and actively participated in the political arena, which was largely dominated by men and whites (Lewis, 2019). Jordan was a powerful black American woman who successfully participated in many political activities in the USA.
Jordan was born on February 21, 1936, in Houston in a family of three daughters. Her father, Benjamin Jordan, was a prominent pastor while her mother, Arlyne Jordan, was an accomplished public speaker. Barbara received her education in Houston public schools before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Texas Southern University (Lewis, 2019). Besides, she pursued her law degree from Boston University, where she graduated in 1959. Jordan was actively involved in debates and oratory at an early age. She had the opportunity to serve in the Massachusetts and Texas bars before venturing into politics in active politics in 1960.
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Jordan’s political turning point occurred in 1960 when she became part of the team that campaigned for J.F. Kennedy in a presidential race in the same year. She persuaded a significant number of African American voters in Houston to vote for Kennedy. She unsuccessfully vied for the Texas House of Representative in 1962 and 1964 (Waxman, Farry & Zorthian, 2017). However, in 1966, Jordan successfully vied for the Texas Senate, making her the first black state senator, as well as the first women to occupy that position. Jordan was elected to Congress in 1972, and she became the first black woman to be elected to Congress (Lewis, 2019). She championed for the rights and freedom of the minority groups at both the local and national levels. Some of the issues that she strongly advocated for included the minimum wage law, anti-discrimination acts, and fair employment opportunities across sectors. She was determined to ensure equality and equity in American society.
Jordan greatly attracted national attention in 1974 during President Nixon impeachment. Specifically, her incisive questioning and strong defense of the US Constitution made her gain the respect of the nations, especially those who believed in the rule of law (Nick, 2018). Also, she impressed the nation in the 1976 Democratic National Convention (DNC) where she gave a keynote speech. Also, she became the first black woman to give a keynote speech in the DNC. Jordan quitted active politics in 1977, and she decided to teach at the University of Texas.
Therefore, Barbara Jordan emerged as a strong and successful black woman leader in the late 20 th century. She overcame the challenges faced by black women at that time to develop a successful political and professional career. Importantly, Jordan inspired many black women to venture into various fields such as politics and business. She is still remembered as one of the black women who contributed immensely towards the achievement of American democratic space in the late 1900s.
References
Lewis, J. (2019, February 25). Barbara Jordan. Thought.com . Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/barbara-jordan-biography-3528702
Nick, F. (2018, October 20). The Black Texas Congresswoman Who Took on Nixon. Retrieved from https://www.ozy.com/flashback/the-black-texas-congresswoman-who-took-on- nixon/87679
Waxman, O., Farry, M., & Zorthian, J. (2017, March 8). 50 Women Who Made American Political History. Time . Retrieved from https://time.com/4551817/50-women-political- history/
