“Life is too short to hang out a sign: “For Men Only”- Barbara Jordan. Barbara Charline Jordan was born to Benjamin and Arlyne Jordan on February 21st, 1936, in Houston, Texas. Jordan was an educator, lawyer, politician and a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement. During her lifetime, Jordan received numerous accolades for her willingness to fight for the equality of all people. She grew up in Houston’s 5th ward where she was actively involved in her church where her father served as pastor and her mother as a Sunday school teacher.
She graduated from Phyliss Wheatley High School with honors in 1952. Unfortunately, due to segregation she was not able to attend the University of Texas at Austin, so she decided to attend Texas Southern University (TSU) a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Houston’s 3rd ward. At TSU she majored in political science and history, and she was also a member and national winner on the debate team where she defeated students from Yale and Brown. She became a member of the Delta Gamma chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
In 1956 she graduated magna cum laude and then went on to attend Boston School of Law where she graduated in 1959. She credits her decision to become an attorney to a speech given by lawyer and judge Edith Spurlock Sampson who is known for her fight for the equal rights of Black people. A er graduating from law school, she taught political science for one year at Tuskegee University, formally known as Tuskegee Institute. She later returned to Houston in 1960 where she opened her own private law practice. In 1962 & 1964 Jordan campaigned for the Texas House of Representatives, but she was unfortunately unsuccessful.
However, in 1966 she won a seat in the Texas Senate becoming the first Black state senator and since 1883, the first Black woman to serve in that capacity. During her career she served the United States in various ways. She was re-elected to the Texas Senate, where she served until 1972. She also had the opportunity of serving as Texas acting governor for one day in 1972. To date, she is the only Black woman to serve as governor in the state of Texas. That same year, she was elected to the House of Representatives.
