Barbara Jordan was an American lawyer, educator, and politician, known for her powerful oratory and advocacy for civil rights. She was the first African American woman elected to the Texas Senate and later served in the U.S. House of Representatives. Jordan's speeches, particularly during the Watergate hearings, earned her national acclaim. Her contributions to law, politics, and education have left an indelible mark on American history, inspiring generations of leaders and activists.
"One thing is clear to me: We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves."
"We are a party of innovation. We do not reject our traditions, but we are willing to adapt to changing circumstances, when change we must. We are willing to suffer the discomfort of change in order to achieve a better future."
"A nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good."
"What we have to do is strike a balance between the idea that government should do everything and the idea, the belief, that government ought to do nothing. Strike a balance."
"I believe that women have a capacity for understanding and compassion which man structurally does not have, does not have it because he cannot have it. He's just incapable of it."
"Let each person do his or her part. If one citizen is unwilling to participate, all of us are going to suffer. For the American idea, though it is shared by all of us, is realized in each one of us."
"Our concept of governing is derived from our view of people. It is a concept deeply rooted in a set of beliefs firmly etched in the national conscience, of all of us."
"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap."
"We cannot improve on the system of government handed down to us by the founders of the Republic. There is no way to improve upon that. But what we can do is to find new ways to implement that system and realize our destiny."
"Let's all understand that these guiding principles cannot be discarded for short-term political gains. They represent what this country is all about. They are indigenous to the American idea. And these are principles which are not negotiable."
"We have made mistakes. In our haste to do all things for all people, we did not foresee the full consequences of our actions. And when the people raised their voices, we didn't hear. But our deafness was only a temporary condition, and not an irreversible condition."
"Let us heed the voice of the people and recognize their common sense. If we do not, we not only blaspheme our political heritage, we ignore the common ties that bind all Americans."
"Let there be no illusions about the difficulty of forming this kind of a national community. It's tough, difficult, not easy. But a spirit of harmony will survive in America only if each of us remembers that we share a common destiny."
"A government is invigorated when each of us is willing to participate in shaping the future of this nation."
"Education remains the key to both economic and political empowerment."
"We must exchange the philosophy of excuse - what I am is beyond my control for the philosophy of responsibility."