Barbara Jordan

barbara-jordan

Barbara Jordan, first African American woman elected to Congress from Texas, is remembered for her commitment to the U.S. Constitution. Her speech in favor of the impeachment of President Richard Nixon was a key moment in the Watergate investigation. After retiring from Congress in 1979, she remained actively engaged in issues. She gave a rousing speech at the 1992 Democratic National Convention.

What was not known publicly was that she shared 30 years of her life with another  woman. While not outspoken about her sexuality during her lifetime, she remains a hero to the LGBTQ community.

Andy Biemillier (AFL-CIO), Barbara Jordan, John Doar (Civil Rights Division, Dept. of Justice), 1967. Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum.

This document is being featured in conjunction with the National Archives’ National Conversation on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality.  

The “National Conversation on Rights and Justice” is presented in part by AT&T, Ford Foundation, Seedlings Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the National Archives Foundation.

Special thanks to Perkins Coie for their support in this event in New York City.

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