As Black History Month continues, organizers in Austin are marking a major milestone honoring one of Texas’s most influential trailblazers: Barbara Jordan.
The 30th annual Barbara Jordan National Forum is a weeklong event designed to celebrate Jordan’s life and legacy while also focusing on what’s ahead. The forum is being led by the Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation, with Sam Bryant serving as board chair and Miles Baker serving as student chair for the Barbara Jordan National Forum.
The forum is being led by the Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation, with Sam Bryant serving as board chair and Miles Baker serving as student chair for the Barbara Jordan National Forum.
Organizers say the forum’s 30th year will include multiple events next week, along with an exhibit showcasing the life of Barbara Jordan.
“Barbara Jordan is a trailblazer,” said Bryant, “In fact, she was the first African American elected to the Senate from the great state of Texas. She was also the first African-American elected from the South as a congressperson. It’s an incredible legacy. With this exhibit, we’ll have an opportunity to really end up portraying to the public, Barbara Jordan’s birth, Barbara Jordan’a education and the whole cycle that she’s actually gone through from state legislation to being a national representative as well.”
The forum is expected to highlight both history and the future, with organizers also centering this year’s theme as part of the week’s events.
“This year is the 30th year of the forum, which is incredible. This Thursday upcoming, we have a celebration of 30 years of the forum with the people, the staff, the students that have allowed us to have this legacy, which really just shows how impactful Barbara Jordan’s legacy is and how it still motivates and moves students to this day,” shared Baker, “So this year’s theme is ‘No Idle Spectators: My Faith in the Constitution is Whole,’ I think Barbara Jordan’s legacy is one of being an amazing civil servant, but also an amazing community leader, but also someone who believe strongly in America. And so we really wanted to focus on that.”
Organizers want to help sustain Jordan’s legacy and highlight her patriotism for a new generation. “
“We’re coming up on 250 years of America,” said Baker, “And so we want to celebrate America, and show that we really care about this place and invite community to be part of showing our love for our country.”
The week also features an art show as part of the programming.
“I think one thing people might not know about Barbara Jordan and her legacy is towards the end of her life, she was a strong advocate for the arts. And so this is an art show and it’s called ‘Art is Activism.’ That was started last year and is a continuation of that legacy, to honor her continued contributions to the art community. So we’re inviting local artists from Austin to contribute to that legacy, which is going to be awesome.”
Learn more about these spcial events and RSVP HERE.
Barbara Jordan National Forum marks 30 years honoring trailblazing Texas legacy