Join us for this wonderful salon and explore the life and voice of Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (1936-1996), the first Black woman ever elected to the Texas Senate and the first Black woman from the South to serve in Congress.  Many still recall Jordan's eloquence during the televised hearings to impeach Richard Nixon, as well as her deep, resonant voice. But what exactly made her speeches so memorable?  Author and AU Associate Professor Mary Ellen Curtin will share some insights into Jordan's compelling oratory by first exploring her origins in Houston, Texas, and then examining the sound, the style, and the substance of her most memorable speeches. By the end of the event, attendees will have gained a new understanding of what made Jordan not only a great orator, but an exceptional leader. 

 

Come to enjoy a lovely brunch with neighbors and learn more about this remarkable woman trailblazer who left a tremendous legacy to this nation. 

 

Mary Ellen Curtin (Phd, Duke University) specializes in African American and women's history. She teaches in the Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies at American University in Washington DC and is the author of She Changed the Nation:  Barbara Jordan's Life and Legacy in Black Politics (Philadelphia:  University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024).