Barbara Jordan
1936–1996 (age 60)
Politician
Biography
Barbara Jordan, born in 1936, shattered barriers in Texas politics as the first African American woman to serve in the Texas Senate and later in the United States House of Representatives, where her voice on the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate hearings and her stirring 1976 Democratic National Convention address remain legendary. Her eloquence and integrity inspired countless Americans.
After leaving Congress she taught law, advised presidential commissions, and continued to lift up young leaders, leaving a legacy of courage and justice that endures at the Texas State Cemetery and beyond.