Barbara Jordan at the DNC - 1976 and 1992

Jordan at the 1976 DNC with
Chairman Robert Strauss.

With all the excitement and debate surrounding the recent political conventions for the upcoming national elections, we felt we couldn't let the 2012 Democratic National Convention pass without remembering Jordan's historic roles at the 1976 and the 1992 Conventions.  Why are they historic?  For two reasons:

Reason number one--

Jordan was the first African American, man or woman, to deliver a keynote address at the 1976 DNC.  See video links to her speech here:

Part one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg7gLIx__-k&feature=plcp

Part two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YvxjfoOJLw&feature=plcp

Part three: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0_L073FMow&feature=plcp

Reason number two--

Jordan was the first African American woman to deliver a keynote speech at a DNC twice.  She did it again in 1992:

Part one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7RSZp9R_Vk&feature=context-cha

Part two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0lv9pDWBbQ&feature=context-cha

Part three: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVddfwV58SU&feature=context-cha

Jordan's delivery, presence, and command of the crowd is still memorable today.