Buried Treasures: the Barbara Jordan Archives: December 2014

About Barbara Jordan

When Jordan was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972 she became the first African-American woman to represent a previously Confederate state in Congress. In 1976 Barbara Jordan became the first African-American Woman to deliver a keynote address at a political convention, and Jordan addressed the Democratic National Convention again in 1992—to date, Jordan is the only person to have delivered the keynote address at the DNC twice. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Jordan was in the national spotlight during the Watergate hearings that would eventually lead to the resignation of President Nixon. Her style of oration and clarity of vision on the issues made her potential as a presidential candidate a topic of conversation among liberals. In 1994 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom the nation's highest civilian honor. Despite her declining health she continued to teach and serve in public office including a post on the Presidential task force on immigration reform. Jordan died of pneumonia on January 17, 1996 at the Austin Diagnostic Medical Center. Jordan was eulogized by both President Clinton and former Texas Governor Ann Richards. On January 20, 1996, Barbara Jordan was buried at the Texas State Cemetery which is an honor reserved for Texas heroes. She is believed to be the first African-American to have been buried there.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Christmas Greetings, Congressional Style

Peter Rodino (D-New Jersey) – Rodino

was the chair of the House Judiciary

Committee when Jordan served during

the Watergate Hearings.

Happy holidays from the Barbara Jordan Archives and Special Collections! As this year draws to a close, we're reflecting on a tumultuous year in politics with a lot of division among party lines. In Jordan's time, though, things weren't as divided. There was more "across-the-aisle" camaraderie and socializing regardless of party affiliation. It might be argued that this spirit of such a time in American politics is reflected in a sampling of Jordan's greeting cards from colleagues during the 1978 holiday season; of the twenty-five cards featured here, one-third are from Jordan's Republican congress-mates.

From a more aesthetic viewpoint, it’s interesting to consider the card designs and styles: many feature traditional family photos and husband/wife poses, while others feature a depiction of Capitol Hill or the seal of the House. The fashions, the hairstyles, decor...all depict an American era gone by and allow for a step back in time. (Notice, too, the duplication of a card or two; most holiday cards were, and are, printed in-house and made available to House and Senate members.) Regardless of who sent the cards, though, the themes of family and America prevail, and regardless of the issues at hand and the battles waged between political opponents, holiday greetings were still exchanged. We hope you enjoy looking though the selection, and have a great holiday!