Disability History Factoid: Barbara Jordan

Disability History Factoid of the Day: Barbara Jordan (Thursday, October 6, 2011)

In 1967, Barbara Jordan became the first African-American to serve in the Texas Senate since 1883, and in 1972 was elected President Pro Tempore. She coped routinely with the challenges presented by multiple sclerosis.

Jordan became known for her distinct diction and forceful delivery on a wide range of subjects. In 1973, she became the first African-American woman from a Southern state to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Jordan delivered the keynote addresses at the 1976 and 1992 Democratic Conventions, emphasizing unity, equality, accountability, and American ideals. Retiring from Congress in 1979, she became a professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and became known as an outstanding educator. She is in the National Women's Hall of Fame and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994.

In 1982, the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities created the Barbara Jordan Media Awards, a media relations program which includes a series of prestigious annual awards recognizing outstanding contributions by individuals and organizations of the communications media. In 1998, the Committee added a high school student subcategory to the competition in an effort to encourage and educate a new generation of journalists. Contributions are recognized for eliminating attitudinal, social, and physical barriers and encouraging accurate and progressive portrayals of people with disabilities.

The Barbara Jordan Media Awards recognize representatives of the communications media in the fields of print, radio, television, Internet, advertising, photojournalism, public relations, books, and special contributions for increasing public understanding of the abilities and potential of people with disabilities.

Barbara Jordan Media Awards: http://governor.state.tx.us/disabilities/awards/barbara_jordan_media_awards/

Clips of Barbara Jordan can be seen in the "The Scoop on Reporting about People with Disabilities:" http://governor.state.tx.us/disabilities/awards/scoop

For more on Barbara Jordan: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fjoas

About the Facts

The Disability History Daily Factoids are presented each weekday in October to celebrate "Persons with Disabilities History and Awareness Month" in Texas. HB 3616, passed during the 82nd Legislative session, encourages public schools and state agencies to celebrate the accomplishments of people with disabilities. To learn more about Disability History, go to http://governor.state.tx.us/disabilities/resources/disability_history/.

Past Facts

For daily factoids from previous days, visit our archive: http://governor.state.tx.us/disabilities/resources/history_and_awareness_month_factoids