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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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Famous Barbara Jordan Quotes

“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

“"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

“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.”

“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

“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

“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 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

“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

“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

“...for the system to be credible, people actually have to be deported at the end of the process.”

People Ends Process Immigration Credible

Author:Barbara Jordan

“I spent my entire career trying to protect the Constitution, the civil rights and the civil liberties of American citizens and people who are here lawfully. I, as chair of this commission, would not be a party to any system that I felt was an unpardonable intrusion into the private lives of people. If I felt that what we are recommending would be such an intrusion I can assure you that recommendation would never have seen the light of day, not even as a pilot program.”

“We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves.”

People Inspirational Humans Different Human Beings Accepting Acceptance Willing Tolerance African American Self Acceptance Black People

Author:Barbara Jordan

“I have faith in young people because I know the strongest emotions which prevail are those of love and caring and belief and tolerance.”

People Knows Young Belief Emotion Teaching Youth Caring Tolerance Strongest Have Faith

Author:Barbara Jordan

“The majority of the American people still believe that every single individual in this country is entitled to just as much respect, just as much dignity, as every other individual.”

People Believe Stills Country Individual Dignity Majority Entitled

Author:Barbara Jordan

“Even as I stand here and admit that we have made mistakes I still believe that as the people of America sit in judgment on each party, they will recognize that our mistakes were mistakes of the heart. They'll recognize that.”

People Believe Heart Made Stills America Party Mistake Judgment Made A Mistake I Still Believe

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We should face reality and our past mistakes in an honest, adult way. Boasting of glory does not make glory, and singing in the dark does not dispel fear. King Hussein Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error. - Thomas Jefferson 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.”

“In other times, I could stand here and give this kind of exposition on the beliefs of the Democratic Party and that would be enough. But today that is not enough. People want more.”

People Want Giving Kind Enough Would Be Today Belief Party Democratic Democratic Party

Author:Barbara Jordan

“It is a privilege to serve people, a privilege that must be earned, and once earned, there is an obligation to do something good with it.”

People Privilege Obligation Philanthropy

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 Believe Community Should African American Country Democratic Party National Community Nations Promise Way

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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