A Dream Remembered

Houston Chronicle, April 5, 1969

Today marks the 44^th anniversary of the passing of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.  Recently, we came across this article in one of Jordan’s scrapbooks.  Jordan spoke at a memorial service in Houston in 1969, one year after the death of King.  In her address, Jordan noted the racial tensions in Houston at the time, particularly among college students; Jordan implored black and white Houstonians alike to remember the teachings and philosophies of Dr. King and asked the Houston community to make an effort to understand one another.

First page from Jordan's King speech, 1976

Jordan also gave an address some time in 1976 (the exact date, location and occasion are unknown at this writing) reflecting on achievements within the African American community in the eight years after King’s death, particularly in the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act.  To read the entire speech, click here for a slideshow.

We present these pieces from the Jordan Papers as an acknowledgement that Jordan believed in and supported King’s message and dream.