The Black lesbian who made American history (repeatedly)

Carl Albert, Barbara Jordan, and Alistaire Cooke at the anniversary of the First Continental Congress. September 25, 1974
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

When Barbara Jordan was born in Houston’s Fifth Ward 87 years ago, there weren’t over 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills making their way through Texas’s legislative chambers like there are today, but her state was plenty hostile to Black, queer people like her. Her life in politics—filled with firsts—sought to expand civil rights for all as much as she could.

Jordan was the first Black woman—and one of the first Black people—elected to Congress from the South. Growing up attending segregated public schools in Houston, Texas, it must have seemed like an impossible dream.

But “impossible” and Jordan didn’t mix. If it hadn’t been done before, she was ready to be the one to do it.

There hadn’t been a Black state senator in Texas since 1883? Jordan became a Texas state senator in 1966, the first Black woman to ever be a Texas state senator. No Black woman in U.S. history had ever presided over a legislative body? Jordan was elected president pro tem of the Texas Senate in 1972.

Before becoming a politician, Jordan was a lawyer, inspired to follow that path by another Black woman, trailblazing lawyer…

Read full story, and more, from Source: The Black lesbian who made American history (repeatedly)

Share

About Gay Today

Editor of Gay Today