美国名人 黑人妇女众议员 芭芭拉·乔丹.docx

美国名人黑人妇女众议员芭芭拉乔丹BarbaraJordan,1936-1996:APowerfulVoiceforJusticeandSocialChangeplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-17:33repeatByCynthiaKirk2010-5-8BarbaraJordan'ssmileduring"GovernorforaDay"ceremoniesin1972.STEVEEMBER:l,mSteveEmber.SARAH1.ONG:AndmSarah1.ongwithPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.Today,wetellaboutawomanwhoworkedtomakeadifferenceinpeople'slives,BarbaraJordan.(MUSIC)STEVEEMBER:BarbaraJordanwasalawyer,educatorandmemberofCongress.Shewaswellknownforherpowerful,thoughtfulspeeches.Duringherlongpoliticalcareer,BarbaraJordanworkedforsocialchange.ShesoughttouseherpoliticalinfluencetomakeadifferenceforallAmericans.BarbaraJordanbecamethefirstAfrican-AmericanwomantobeelectedtotheUnitedStatesCongresstorepresentTexas.Innineteenseventy-four,shegainednationalrecognitionasamemberofthecongressionalcommitteeinvestigatingPresidentRichardNixon.(MUSIC)SARAH1.ONG:BarbaraCharlineJordanwasborninthesoutherncityofHouston,Texasinnineteenthirty-six.Shewastheyoungestofthreedaughters.HerfatherwasaBaptistminister.Hetaughtheraloveoffamily,faith,musicandlanguage.Asachild,Barbara'sparentspushedhertosucceed.BarbaraJordansaidherparentswouldcriticizeherfornotspeakingcorrectEnglish.Theyurgedhertobecomeamusicteacher,becausetheysaidthatwastheonlygoodjobforablackwomanatthattime.Hersistersdidbecomemusicteachers.BarbaraJordan,however,explainedlaterthatshewantedtobesomethingunusual.Atfirstshethoughtaboutbeingapharmacist,ascientistwhoisanexpertinmedicines.But,shenoted,sheneverheardofanimportantpharmacist.STEVEEMBER:Inhighschool,Barbaraheardablackwomanlawyerspeak.MissJordandecidedtobecomealawyer.Sheattendedtheall-blackcollege,TexasSouthernUniversityinHouston.Sheledachampionshipdebatingteamandbecameknownforherspeakingskills.Shefinishedatthetopofherclass.ThenshewentontoBostonUniversitylawschoolinBoston,Massachusetts.APBarbaraJordanwasalawyer,educatorandmemberofCongress.Aftershefinishedlawschool,MissJordanreturnedtoTexas.Shebegantoworkasalawyer.Shealsodiscoveredshewasinterestedinpolitics.Herinterestbeganwhenshehelpedinapresidentialcampaign.SheworkedtohelpgetDemocraticpresidentialnomineeJohnF.Kennedyelectedinnineteensixty.SARAH1.ONG:Soon,MissJordandecidedtobecomeapoliticianherself.Shefirstcampaignedforpublicofficeinnineteen-sixty-two.ShewantedtobecomeamemberoftheTexasHouseofRepresentatives.Shelostthatelection,andanotherelectiontwoyearslater.Innineteensixty-six,shedecidedtoseekaseatintheTexasSenate.Shewon.BarbaraJordanbecamethefirstblackpersontoserveintheTexasSenatesinceeighteeneighty-three.DuringheryearsasaTexaslawmaker;MissJordanproposedandhelpedpasslegislationdealingwithsocialchange.Shehelpedreformpublicassistanceprogramsandprotectworkers'wages.Shealsoopposedlegislationthatwouldhavemadeitharderforblacksand1.atinAmericanstovote.STEVEEMBER:AftereightyearsintheTexasSenate,MissJordancampaignedforaseatintheUnitedStatesHouseofRepresentatives.Shewoneasily.ShewasthefirstwomanandfirstblacktobeelectedtoCongresstorepresentTexas.InCongress,MissJordanspokeforthepoor,forwomen,forAfrican-Americansand1.atinAmericans.Shebelievedstrongly,however;inbeingloyaltoherstateandherpoliticalparty.SheconsideredtheinterestsofthepeopleofTexasbeforethoseofanyothergroup.(MUSIC)SARAH1.ONG:Innineteenseventy-four,CongresswomanJordanwasamemberoftheHouseJudiciarycommittee.ThecommitteewasinvestigatingevidenceofwrongdoingbythenPresidentRichardNixon.TheCongressionalhearingsintothesituationknownasWatergatewerebroadcastonnationaltelevision.DuringtheWatergatehearings,MissJordandeclaredherstrongbeliefintheUnitedStatesConstitution.ShedenouncedPresidentNixonforviolatingit.Sheisrememberedstillforhercommandingpresentationatthehearinganddeepknowledgeofconstitutionalissues.TheWatergatehearingsthatledtoPresidentNixon'sresignationmadeBarbaraJordanknownaroundthenation.STEVEEMBER:FollowingtheWatergatehearings,BarbaraJordanwentontootherfirsts.Innineteenseventy-six,shewasaskedtospeakattheDemocraticNationalConventionwhichnominatedJimmyCarter.MissJordanwasthefirstblackwomantogiveanopeningspeechattheDemocraticConvention.ShesaidmembersoftheDemocraticPartybelievethatthepeoplearethebasisofallgovernmentalpower.Democratsbelieve,shecontinued,thatthepowerofthepeopleistobeextended,notrestricted.Inherspeech,MissJordanalsourgedAmericanstoworkforthecommongood:BARBARAJORDANZ1Manyfearthefuture.Manyaredistrustfuloftheirleadersandbelievethattheirvoicesareneverheard.Manyseekonlytosatisfytheirprivatewants,tosatisfytheirprivateinterests.ButthisisthegreatdangerAmericafaces-thatwewillceasetobeonenationandbecomeinsteadacollectionofinterestgroups,eachseekingtosatisfyprivatewants.Ifthathappens,whothenwillspeakforAmerica?Whothenwillspeakforthecommongood?"APShefirstcampaignedforpublicofficeinnineteen-sixty-two.VOICETWO:ThefactshewasblackandawomandidnotseemtoslowBarbaraJordan'srise.Herfutureseemedlimitless.Then,innineteenseventy-seven,MissJordansuddenlyannouncedshewasretiringfromCongressandreturningtoTexas.Shelatersaidshefeltshewasnotmakingenoughdifference.BARBAR