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Barbara Jordan

Barbara Jordan Quotes

American Politician

Barbara Jordan was a prominent American politician known for her influential career as a lawyer and a member of the United States House of Representatives. Born on February 21, 1936, she served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives and later as a U.S. Representative from Texas. Jordan was the first African American woman to serve in the Texas Senate and the first African American woman elected to Congress from the South. She was known for her eloquence and her advocacy for civil rights and social justice.

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All People Ifs Immigration America Political Want Belief Common Government Party

Famous Barbara Jordan Quotes

“One thing is clear to me: we, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves.”

Acceptance Willingness Acceptance Of Others

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We believe in equality for all, and privileges for none. This is a belief that each American regardless of background has equal standing in the public forum, all of us. Because we believe this idea so firmly, we are an inclusive, rather than an exclusive party. Let everybody come.”

Democracy Black Women Black History Democratic Party Black Women Quotes Human Rights Day

Book:We Rise: Speeches by Inspirational Black Women

Source: We Rise: Speeches by Inspirational Black Women

“We are a heterogeneous party made up of Americans of diverse backgrounds.”

Made Party Backgrounds Diverse Democratic Party Emigrating

Author:Barbara Jordan

“The earth is bread we take and eat.”

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We believe that the people are the source of all governmental power; that the authority of the people is to be extended, not restricted.”

People Believe Source Authority Mental Power

Author:Barbara Jordan

“If you're going to play the game [politics] properly, you'd better know every rule.”

Ifs Knows Play Games

Author:Barbara Jordan

“The stakes ... are too high for government to be a spectator sport.”

Government Sports Stakes Spectators

Book:Barbara Jordan, a self-portrait

Source: Barbara Jordan, a self-portrait

“Things which matter cost money, and we've got to spend the money if we do not want to have generations of parasites rather than generations of productive citizens.”

Ifs Want Matter Generations Citizens Cost Productive Parasites

Author:Barbara Jordan

“I never wanted to be run of the mill.”

Running Wanted Mills

Author:Barbara Jordan

“The Supreme Court has always been the last bastion of the protection of our freedoms.”

Lasts Court Protection Supreme Supreme Court

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We must have an economy that does not force the migrant worker's child to miss school in order to earn...just so the family can eat. That is the moral bankruptcy that trickle-down economics is all about.”

Children Doe School Order Force Moral Economy Missing Economics Workers Bankruptcy Migrants Trickle Down Trickle Down Economics Migrant Workers

Author:Barbara Jordan

“If you are dissatisfied with they way things are, then you have got to resolve to change them.”

Ifs Way Resolve Dissatisfied

Author:Barbara Jordan

“"We, the people." It is a very elegant beginning. But when that document was completed on the 17th of September in 1787, I was not included in that "We, the people."”

People September Documents Elegant

Author:Barbara Jordan

“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.”

“What the people want is very simple - they want an America as good as its promise.”

People Want War America Political Politics Peace Simple Identity Integrity Promise Hypocrisy Anti War 4th Of July Peace War

Book:Barbara Jordan, a self-portrait

Source: Barbara Jordan, a self-portrait

“We call ourselves public servants but I'll tell you this: we as public servants must set an example for the rest of the nation. It is hypocritical for the public official to admonish and exhort the people to uphold the common good.”

People Nations Common Sea Example Servant Officials Common Good Hypocritical Public Servants Public Officials Admonish

Author:Barbara Jordan

“More is required of public officials than slogans and handshakes and press releases. More is required. We must hold ourselves strictly accountable. We must provide the people with a vision of the future.”

“Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power.”

“A nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good.”

Nations Common Responsibility Share Willingness Common Good Character Education

Author:Barbara Jordan

“It is reason, and not passion, which must guide our deliberations, guide our debate, and guide our decision.”

Reason Passion Decision Emotional Guides Debate Deliberation

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We must exchange the philosophy of excuse - what I am is beyond my control for the philosophy of responsibility.”

Philosophy Responsibility Excuse Beyond My Control

Author:Barbara Jordan

“But this is the great danger America faces. That we will cease to be one nation and become instead a collection of interest groups: city against suburb, region against region, individual against individual. Each seeking to satisfy private wants.”

Want America Faces Individual Nations Interest Cities Groups Danger Seeking Cease Collections Regions Suburbs Interest Groups

Author:Barbara Jordan

“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.”

Suffering Order Party Achieve Willing Circumstances Tradition Innovation Rejects Discomfort Better Future

Author:Barbara Jordan

“The imperative is to define what is right and do it.”

Inspirational Character Philanthropy Imperatives Character Education

Book:The Great Society: A Twenty Year Critique

Source: The Great Society: A Twenty Year Critique

“A government is invigorated when each of us is willing to participate in shaping the future of this nation.”

Government Nations Willing Shaping The Future

Book:Great Speeches Collection 1 - AUDIO EDITION

Source: Great Speeches Collection 1 - AUDIO EDITION

“If we promise as public officials, we must deliver. If we as public officials propose, we must produce.”

Ifs Politics Produce Promise Officials Propose Public Officials

Author:Barbara Jordan

“There is no obstacle in the path of young people who are poor or members of minority groups that hard work and preparation cannot cure.”

People Hard Young Poor Path Groups Youth Hard Work Walking Members Adversity Obstacles Cures Preparation Minorities Minority Groups

Author:Barbara Jordan

“I think it no accident that most of those emigrating to America in the 19th century identified with the Democratic Party. We are a heterogeneous party made up of Americans of diverse backgrounds.”

Thinking Made America Party Century Democratic Accidents Backgrounds Diverse Democratic Party 19th Century Emigrating

Author:Barbara Jordan

“I have confidence that we can form this kind of national community.”

Kind Form Community Have Confidence National Community

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We are a people in a quandary about the present. We are a people in search of our future. We are a people in search of a national community.”

People Community Our Future National Community

Author:Barbara Jordan

“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.”

Ifs Persons Ideas Suffering Citizens Unwilling

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We have a positive vision of the future founded on the belief that the gap between the promise and reality of America can one day be finally closed. We believe that.”

Believe Reality America Belief Vision Positive Promise One Day Gaps Visions Of The Future

Author:Barbara Jordan

“I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in 'We, the people.'”

“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.”

Ifs Kind America Remember Spirit Easy Difficult Community Common Destiny Share Illusion Tough Difficulty Harmony National Community

Author:Barbara Jordan

“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.”

People Ifs Political Voice Common Common Sense Ties Heritage Heed Ties That Bind

Author:Barbara Jordan

“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.”

Ideas Country Political Term Principles Gains Indigenous Short Term Discarded Guiding Principles

Author:Barbara Jordan

“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.”

People Belief Views Conscience Concepts Rooted Governing

Author:Barbara Jordan

“There is no executive order; there is no law that can require the American people to form a national community. This we must do as individuals and if we do it as individuals, there is no President of the United States who can veto that decision.”

People Ifs States Form Law Order Individual President Community Decision United United States Executives Veto Executive Orders National Community

Author:Barbara Jordan

“Throughout out history, when people have looked for new ways to solve their problems, and to uphold the principles of this nation, many times they have turned to political parties. They have often turned to the Democratic Party.”

People Way Problem Political Nations Party Principles Democratic Solve New Ways Political Parties Democratic Party

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We are a people trying not only to solve the problems of the present: unemployment, inflation... but we are attempting on a larger scale to fulfill the promise of America.”

People Trying Problem America Promise Solve Scales Unemployment Inflation Attempting

Author:Barbara Jordan

“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.”

Way Government Can Do Realizing Destiny Republic Founders New Ways Our Destiny Systems Of Government

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We must not become the new puritans and reject our society. We must address and master the future together. It can be done if we restore the belief that we share a sense of national community, that we share a common national endeavor. It can be done.”

Ifs Done Together Belief Community Common Share Masters Addresses Our Society Rejects Endeavor Puritan National Community Futures Together

Author:Barbara Jordan

“A spirit of harmony can only survive if each of us remembers, when bitterness and self-interest seem to prevail, that we share a common destiny.”

Ifs Self Seems Remember Spirit Peace Interest Common Destiny Share Harmony Equality Bitterness Remember When Self Interest Ubuntu

Book:Barbara C. Jordan--selected Speeches

Source: Barbara C. Jordan--selected Speeches

“How do we create a harmonious society out of so many kinds of people? The key is tolerance -- the one value that is indispensable in creating community.”

People Kind Values Culture Belief Community Keys Creating Equality Tolerance Indispensable Harmonious Tolerance And Diversity

Author:Barbara Jordan

“If the society today allows wrongs to go unchallenged, the impression is created that those wrongs have the approval of the majority.”

Ifs Today Peace Majority Activism Impression Approval Philanthropy Ubuntu Society Today

Book:Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth With Eloquent Thunder

Source: Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth With Eloquent Thunder

“Justice of right is always to take precedence over might.”

Might Peace Justice Ubuntu Precedence

Book:Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth With Eloquent Thunder

Source: Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth With Eloquent Thunder

“The arts, instead of quaking along the periphery of our policy concerns, must push boldly into the core of policy. The arts are a response to our individuality and our nature and help to shape our identity. The arts are not a frill and should not be treated as such. They have the potential to become the driving force for healing division and divisiveness.”

Should Art Helping Force Healing Policy Identity Shapes Concern Response Individuality Driving Core Treated Division Carpe Diem Carpe Driving Force Periphery Divisiveness Frills

Author:Barbara Jordan

“The arts are not a frill. The arts are a response to our individuality and our nature, and help to shape our identity. What is there that can transcend deep difference and stubborn divisions? The arts. They have a wonderful universality. Art has the potential to unify. It can speak in many languages without a translator. The arts do not discriminate. The arts lift us up.”

Art Helping Speak Language Differences Wonderful Identity Shapes Response Individuality Lifts Division Stubborn Carpe Diem Carpe Translators Universality Art Education Frills

Author:Barbara Jordan

“For our immigration policy to make sense, it is necessary to make distinctions between those who obey the law, and those who violate it.”

Law Policy Immigration Make Sense Distinction Immigration Policy

Author:Barbara Jordan

“Americanization means the process of becoming an American. It means civic incorporation, becoming a part of the polity - becoming one of us. But that does not mean conformity. We are more than a melting pot, we are a kaleidoscope, where every turn of history refracts new light on the old promise.”

Mean Doe Light Turns Process Becoming Promise Immigration Conformity Pot Melting Civics Melting Pot Kaleidoscope Becoming One Incorporation

Author:Barbara Jordan

About the Author

Born: February 21, 1936
Died: January 17, 1996
Known for: American Politician
Quotes: 85

Related Topics

People Ifs Immigration America Political Want Belief Common Government Party

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Barbara Jordan, a self-portraitRelated source material

Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth With Eloquent ThunderRelated source material

Barbara C. Jordan--selected SpeechesRelated source material

Great Speeches Collection 1 - AUDIO EDITIONRelated source material

The Great Society: A Twenty Year CritiqueRelated source material

We Rise: Speeches by Inspirational Black WomenRelated source material

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