An important new biography of Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman from the South to serve in Congress

During her keynote speech at the 1976 Democratic Party convention, Barbara Jordan of Texas stood before a rapt audience and reflected on where Americans stood in that bicentennial year. “Are we to be one people bound together by a common spirit, sharing in a common endeavor, or will we become a divided nation? For all of its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future.” The civil rights movement had changed American politics by opening up elected office to a new generation of Black leaders, including Jordan, the first Black woman from the South to serve in Congress. Though her life in elected politics lasted only twelve years, in that short time, Jordan changed the nation by showing that Black women could lead their party and legislate on behalf of what she called “the common good.”

In She Changed the Nation, biographer Mary Ellen Curtin offers a new portrait of Jordan and her journey from segregated Houston, Texas, to Washington, DC, where she made her mark during the Watergate crisis by eloquently calling for the impeachment of President Nixon. Recognized as one of the greatest orators of modern America, Jordan inspired millions, and Black women became her most ardent supporters. Many assumed Jordan would rise higher and become a US senator, Speaker of the House, or a Supreme Court justice. But illness and disability, along with the obstacles she faced as a Black woman, led to Jordan’s untimely retirement from elected office—though not from public life. Until her death at the age of fifty-nine, Jordan remained engaged with the cause of justice and creating common ground, proving that Black women could lead the country through challenging times.

No change in the law alone could guarantee the election of Black leaders. It took courage and ambition for Barbara Jordan to break into politics. This important new biography explores the personal and the political dimensions of Jordan’s life, showing how she navigated the extraordinary pressures of office while seeking to use persuasion, governance, and popular politics as instruments of social change and betterment.

"Compelling...Curtin, in her largely sympathetic but scrupulously objective biography, ensures that though Jordan has been long gone, she is not forgotten. She Changed the Nation creates a vivid portrait of a trailblazer who struggled to overcome the barriers of being a Black woman living with a female companion, yet triumphed as a skilled lawyer, dedicated educator, magnificent public speaker and effective politician winning legislative victories with bipartisan support, even as her health deteriorated later in her career. Did Jordan change the nation? Curtin makes a persuasive case that she did...This inspiring biography comes not a moment too soon, a blueprint for precisely the kind of leadership America needs in these fraught times."—Ms. Magazine

"In this comprehensive biography, race and gender studies professor Curtin gives Barbara Jordan (1936–1996) her due as a brilliant thinker, activist for racial justice and women's equality, spellbinding orator, and effective coalition builder...Curtin synthesizes extensive research for a nuanced portrait of a remarkable woman who, often the object of prejudice for her race, sex, body size, looks, personality, economic background, disability, sexuality, and willingness to compromise, was an uplifting, strong, and prescient leader in turbulent times. (Starred review)"—Booklist

"In She Changed the Nation, Mary Ellen Curtin writes a brilliantly researched biography of a woman who dared to make a difference in American politics. Curtin’s remarkable and masterful account of Jordan’s life starting in her beloved Texas to the national stage should remind us that we have come a long way because of Jordan’s tenacity, which paved the way for others to stand on her shoulders. We would not have witnessed Vice President Kamala Harris or Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson were it not for women like Jordan, whose eloquence and integrity inspired so many to work together to build a more perfect union."—Donna Brazile, former chair of the Democratic National Committee

"In her compelling new biography of Barbara Jordan, She Changed the Nation, Mary Ellen Curtin introduces a new generation of Americans to this groundbreaking politician, the first Black woman elected to Congress from the South. Through her passionate oratory and mastery of the Constitution and federal laws, Jordan made her mark on the nation by leveraging federal power to advance opportunity for all, regardless of race, sex, or class. She Changed the Nation is a must-read for those who seek to understand American politics and society in the wake of the monumental changes wrought by the movements for civil rights and women’s liberation."—Tomiko Brown-Nagin, author of Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality

"Mary Ellen Curtin’s page-turning biography of pioneering Houston congresswoman and activist Barbara Jordan is a scholarly first. It dives far deeper than previous journalistic accounts, bringing in a range of new primary sources that allow for a more complete understanding of Jordan’s life. In She Changed the Nation, Jordan emerges as a fierce champion of civil rights and women’s issues who never lost sight of her activist inclinations and built unprecedented power for Black communities even as she mastered the games of legislative politicking and electoral success. This riveting book makes an enormous contribution to Texas, African American, and women’s histories and should be required reading for activists today."—Max Krochmal, author of Blue Texas: The Making of a Multiracial Democratic Coalition in the Civil Rights Era

She Changed the Nation

Barbara Jordan’s Life and Legacy in Black Politics

Related Books