Today’s badass disabled woman is Barbara Jordan. Her story includes so many “firsts” it’s hard to keep track of them all.
A not exhaustive list of Barbara Jordan’s firsts:
- First African American to give the keynote address at either party’s political convention
- First African American to serve in the Texas State Senate since Reconstruction
- First black woman elected state senator in Texas history
- First black woman elected to Congress from the south.
- First African American to work at the Harris county courthouse in a position other than Janitor.
- First African American to hold a big position in any courthouse in all of Texas.
- First black woman elected to preside over a legislative body in the U.S. and in TX.
So World, we need to talk about Barbara Jordan.
Barbara Jordan: Badass Disabled Woman
(1936-1996)
Barbara grew up in segregated Houston’s fifth ward. The fifth ward was completely neglected by the city at the time. Many of the streets were unpaved and few of the houses had indoor plumbing. The house that Barbara grew up in was an exception to the rule.
Barbara excelled in debate in high school, but because of racism when it came to college she only had a few options. The University of Texas would not admit black people at the time, so she went to Texas Southern University in 1952. TSU was the university set up to avoid admitting black people to UT.
At TSU Barbara thrived on the debate team, and this helped her prepare for her future life in politics. During her junior year in 1954, the Supreme Court ended separate but equal by overturning Plessy v Ferguson and declaring that Brown vs Board was unconstitutional. However, Texas being Texas, it didn’t integrate in time for Barbara to go to law school, so she went to Boston University.
Becoming a historic politician
Barbara passed the bar exam in 1959, and she was only the 3rd female African American attorney licensed to practice law in Texas. However, she soon found herself involved in politics. She ran for the Texas legislature twice and lost. In 1965 the Voting Rights Act helped eliminate the poll tax and abolish literacy tests, so she decided to run for office one more time in 1966. She won the primary with 64% of the vote, and there was no Republican challenger, so she became the first African American woman elected state senator in Texas history, and the first African American since 1883 to serve in the TX Senate.
Barbara Jordan was the first African American woman elected state senator in Texas history, and the first African American since 1883 to serve in the TX Senate. Click To TweetAfter her success in the Texas Senate, Barbara ran for U.S. Congress as a Houston representative. She was sworn in on Jan 3rd, 1973. Lyndon Johnson was a friend of hers and helped to get her on the Judiciary committee saying, “If you get on the Judiciary Committee and one day someone beats the hell out of you, you can be the judge.”
Badass Disabled Woman: Barbara Jordan- Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis
Starting in 1973 Barbara began experiencing fatigue and a tingling sensation in her toes. Later she started feeling weakness up to her knees and numb feet. A few months later the tingling began in her hands and fingers. She consulted the House physician who then sent her on to Bethesda Naval Hospital where she checked in.
Barbara was extremely private and was furious when news of her hospital visit reached Houston. She walled herself off from anyone and refused to answer phone calls and talk about what might be wrong (many of us are similar, communicating and sharing suffering is difficult). She went through a battery of tests before one doctor suggested it might be multiple sclerosis. At the time diagnosis was difficult, but she endured a spinal tap and a heat bath that validated the theory. The doctors believed her case was progressive. She was given a powerful steroid and sent on her way. Everyone involved was sworn to secrecy.
Watergate and Impeachment of President Nixon
The Judiciary Committee was responsible for determining the charges against President Richard Nixon. Barbara researched the issue and came to the conclusion that he should be impeached. Barbara gave an opening statement during the committee’s first public hearing. Most American’s had never seen Barbara speak before, and they loved her so much the speech went viral. She started receiving mail from all over the country. You can see for yourself her powerful words:
My favorite quote of the speech is:
If the impeachment provision in the Constitution of the United States will not reach the offenses charged here, then perhaps that 18th-century Constitution should be abandoned to a 20th-century paper shredder
The House Judiciary Committee approved the second and third articles of impeachment on Monday, July 29th. Nixon resigned on August 8th, 1974.
1976 Democratic Convention Speech
Babara was asked to give the keynote address at the 1976 Democratic Convention. Her speech was the highlight of the convention and people from all over the country supported her.
Badass Disabled Woman: Barbara Jordan- Multiple sclerosis attacks
In 1975 Barbara was working long days at the Capital. One day she came home to find her right eye irritated and the right side of her face drooping. The next day she met with her neurologist and he confirmed her MS had returned. She found out that from now on she’d have less time in between her attacks. She concentrated so much on not showing her symptoms, some thought she was stuck up.
As her illness progressed by 1976 she had to use a cane and could no longer hide her health. However, she still didn’t tell anyone that she had MS. She felt like her illness was her business and she didn’t want people watching her, waiting for signs of deterioration. “She just never wanted to explain any of it, or have people feel sorry for her,” said a friend of hers.
On Dec. 10, 1979 Barbara called a press conference to announce she would not be running for reelection. She wanted to take a break, and that break came in the form of teaching at the University of Texas. By 1980 she had to replace her cane with a walker or wheelchair as her health deteriorated. She tried quite a few experimental treatments, some of which were quite bizarre. Snake venom anyone?
Barbara Jordan: living with disability
Barbara lived a long, full life after retiring from Congress. Her list of accomplishments is incredible and makes me tired just to read about it. For the last 20 years of her life, every day was a struggle with her disability. She died on January 17, 1996. At her funeral, President Clinton gave a eulogy, as did Texas Governor Ann Richards. Thousands of her supporters came to her funeral at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. The Reverand D.Z. Cofield said about her:
I like to think that if Dr. King was the conductor of the orchestra,
Barbara would be first in the chair.
If Dr. King opened the doors of segregation,
She taught us how to walk in and hold our heads up high.
If he allowed us to sit at any table and eat where we wanted,
She taught us how to act at the table.
So we leave here today focused in our minds
That we can be the best we can be
Because she was the best she was³.
I can not emphasize enough how brilliant and boundary-breaking Barbara was. I recommend that everyone learn more about this amazing woman.
Suggested reading
Barbara Jordan an American hero by Mary Beth Rogers
The Making of Barbara Jordan- Texas Monthly
Sources
- Robert Grudin. Time and the Art of Living (New York: Ticknor & Fields, 1988), p51
- Hearon, Shel. “Barbara Jordan: A Self Portrait.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 7 Jan. 1979, www.washingtonpost.com/.
- Rogers, Mary Beth. Barbara Jordan: American Hero. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
- Barbara Jordan, 17 Mar. 2021, www.tsu.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/bjml-school-public-affairs/about/barbara-jordan.html.
- Teutsch, Austin. Barbara Jordan, the Biography. A. Teutsch, 1997.