The Life of Barbara Jordan PDF

Genre: Biography Name As you read the passage, notice how the author uses the features of biography. The Life of Barbara Jordan 10 From school to Congress, Barbara Jordan had a noteworthy and 24 amazing life and career. She was a teacher and a lawyer, and...

Genre: Biography Name As you read the passage, notice how the author uses the features of biography. The Life of Barbara Jordan 10 From school to Congress, Barbara Jordan had a noteworthy and 24 amazing life and career. She was a teacher and a lawyer, and was the 31 first African American congresswoman from the South. 33 Early Life 44 Barbara Jordan was born in Houston, Texas, on February 21, 1936. 57 She was the youngest of three daughters and grew up in a poor 67 community. Barbara’s parents encouraged her to do well in school, 79 and she became an excellent student. In high school, she was known 90 for public speaking. In 1952, she won a national debate competition. 100 Jordan later graduated from Texas Southern University in 1956. She 109 received her law degree from Boston University in 1959. Copyright © McGraw Hill. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. 112 Becoming a Politician 121 After finishing her education, Barbara Jordan returned to the 133 South. At first, she worked for a judge. However, she soon began 145 a career in politics. She unsuccessfully ran for office in 1962 and 158 1964. But in 1966, she was elected to the Texas State Senate. Jordan 169 became the first African American member of the state senate since 182 1883. She also was the first woman ever elected as a Texas state 192 senator. While in office, Jordan worked to improve urban areas. 204 This work differed from the work of many other state senators, who 212 mostly focused on rural parts of the state. O1 Genre Passages Grade 4 Unit 3 Weeks 3 and 4  Genre: Biography Name Becoming a Congresswoman In 1972, Barbara Jordan was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She served a district that included the downtown area of Houston. She was the first African American woman from the South to serve in Congress. As a congresswoman, Jordan worked to improve the lives of poor people and people of color. She supported bills to expand workers’ wages and strengthen voting rights for Mexican Americans. Jordan gained national attention in 1974. President Richard Nixon was being investigated for a scandal. Jordan sat on a committee that examined the charges against him. She spoke at the start of hearings shown on television. Her speech was widely praised. It earned her a great deal of respect across the country. In 1976, Jordan gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, a gathering held every four years to pick a candidate for president. The keynote speech was one of the most important speeches at a national convention. Copyright © McGraw Hill. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. Life After Congress Several years later, Barbara Jordan retired from the House of Representatives and returned to private life. She worked as a professor and also wrote an autobiography. Although she was no longer a politician, Jordan remained involved in public affairs. She served as an adviser for Texas Governor Ann Richards. In 1992, she gave another keynote address at a Democratic Convention. It was very well received. Barbara Jordan will be remembered for seeking justice for the underserved. 1936 1966 1972 1979 1996 Barbara Jordan She becomes a She is elected a She retires Barbara is born Texas U.S. from Congress Jordan dies State Senator Representative Genre Passages Grade 4 Unit 3 Weeks 3 and 4 O2