Jordan, Vernon E. (Vernon Eulion), 1935-

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Lawyer and Washington power broker Vernon Jordan was born on August 15, 1935, in Atlanta. Graduating with honors from David T. Howard High School in 1953, he went on to attend DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where he was the only African American student in his class. At DePauw, Jordan participated in the student senate, won statewide honors in speaking competitions, played basketball and graduated in 1957. He then entered Howard University School of Law, receiving his J.D. in 1960.

Jordan returned to Atlanta starting his legal career working with the civil rights movement. In 1961, he helped organize the integration of the University of Georgia and personally escorted student Charlayne Hunter through a hostile white crowd. Over the next ten years, Jordan held various positions as a civil rights advocate. He served as the Georgia field secretary for the NAACP; director of the Voter Education Project for the Southern Regional Council; head of the United Negro College Fund; and as a delegate to President Lyndon B. Johnson's White House Conference on Civil Rights.

In 1971, Jordan was appointed president and CEO of the National Urban League, where he spearheaded the organization's growth. On May 29, 1980, a white supremacist attempted to kill Jordan. After a successful recuperation, in 1981 Jordan resigned from the National Urban League to take a position as legal council with the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld. His active practice includes corporate, legislative and international clients. Jordan's close friend is former President Bill Clinton and during Clinton's presidency, Jordan became one of Washington's most influential power brokers. Currently he is a partner in the investment firm of Lazard Frere & Company in New York.

Jordan has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Alexis de Tocqueville Award from the United Way of America in 1977 for his dedication to volunteerism. In 2001, Jordan published his autobiography,Vernon Can Read!to widespread praise. He has also authored a weekly newspaper column syndicated to more than 300 newspapers and serves as a frequent television guest and commentator. Jordan is an active on various corporate boards and has had various presidential appointments.

Jordan and his wife, Ann, reside in Washington, D.C. and have four children.

Jordan was interviewed byThe HistoryMakerson January 24, 2003.

From The HistoryMakers™ biography: https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/A2003.019

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Flanagan, Robert B., 1929-. Robert B. Flanagan oral history interviews (part II), 1988 Nov. 10 and 1989 Jan. 9. Georgia State University
referencedIn R. Buckminster Fuller Papers Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn New York Times Company records. A.M. Rosenthal papers, 1955-1994, 1967-1986 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Elizabeth Duncan Koontz Papers Bennett College, Thomas F. Holgate Library
creatorOf Jordan, Vernon E. (Vernon Eulion), 1935-. Reminiscences of Vernon Eulion Jordan, Jr. : oral history, 1981. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Louis Martin Papers, 1931-1998, (bulk 1977-1993) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Frank M. Johnson Papers, 1945-1989, (bulk 1955-1986) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Staff Secretary. 1976 - 1981. Presidential Files. 1977 - 1981. 2/15/77 [2] Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn National Urban League Records, 1900-1988, (bulk 1930-1979) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn National Urban League. Southern Regional Office. Records, 1900-1988 (bulk 1943-1978). Library of Congress
referencedIn Branton, Wiley A. Papers, 1946-1989. Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University
creatorOf Urban League of Pittsburgh (Pa.). Urban League of Pittsburgh records 1918-1996 bulk 1965-1993. Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, Heinz History Center Detre Library and Archives
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Staff Secretary. 1976 - 1981. Presidential Files. 1977 - 1981. 8/7/80 Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn Maloof, Manuel,. Manuel Maloof oral history interviews, 1994 June 13 and 15. Georgia State University
referencedIn Patricia Harris Papers, 1924-1983, (bulk 1977-1980) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Bloomstein, Charles. Bayard Rustin memorial service, the Community Church, NYC, Oct. 1, 1987 [videorecording]. Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC
creatorOf Urban League of Pittsburgh (Pa.). Urban League of Pittsburgh photographs 1948-1995 bulk 1979-1990. Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, Heinz History Center Detre Library and Archives
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Staff Secretary. 1976 - 1981. Presidential Files. 1977 - 1981. 8/15/78 - Not Submitted, CF O/A 548 Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn Henderson, Scott L. Photographs, 1912-1989 (bulk 1960-1980). Virginia Union University, L. Douglas Wilder Library & Learning Resource Center
referencedIn Officers and directors: President and Chief Executive Officer, 1935-1980. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Harold C. Fleming Papers, 1950-1993, (bulk 1961-1987) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf National Urban League Records, 1900-1988, (bulk 1930-1979) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn M. Moran Weston Papers, 1824-1994 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Staff Secretary. 1976 - 1981. Presidential Files. 1977 - 1981. 5/29/80 [1] Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn Baldwin, William H. (William Henry), b. 1891. Papers, 1886-1980. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Staff Secretary. 1976 - 1981. Presidential Files. 1977 - 1981. 2/16/77 [1] Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn Harvard Law School Forums Records Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Sound Recordings of Meetings and Telephone Conversations (Nixon Administration). 2/16/1971 - 7/18/1973. Sound Recordings of Meetings and Telephone Conversations. 2/16/1971 - 7/18/1973. Oval Office tape number 529 Richard Nixon Library
creatorOf Urban League of Pittsburgh (Pa.). Urban League of Pittsburgh audio-visual collection 1968-1993 bulk 1989-1993. Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, Heinz History Center Detre Library and Archives
referencedIn Floyd B. McKissick Papers, 1940s-1980s University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Staff Secretary. 1976 - 1981. Presidential Files. 1977 - 1981. 6/3/80 [3] Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn Papers of Julian Bond 1897-2006 University of Virginia. Small Special Collections Library
referencedIn Weston, M. Moran, 1910-. Papers, 1824-1994. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn McCoy, Charles Brelsford, 1909-1995. Papers, 1967-1974. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Jordan, Vernon E. (Vernon Eulion), 1935-. Reminiscences of Vernon Eulion Jordan, Jr. : oral history, 1980. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Benedict College. College publications, 1970-1990. Benedict College, Benjamin F. Payton Learning Resources Center
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Staff Secretary. 1976 - 1981. Presidential Files. 1977 - 1981. 8/15/78 Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn President Gerald R. Ford Greeting Roy Wilkins, Vernon Jordan, and Others Prior to the Signing Ceremony for H.R. 6219, Extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Gerald R. Ford Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Baldwin, William H. (William Henry), b. 1891. person
associatedWith Benedict College. corporateBody
associatedWith Bond, Julian, 1940- person
associatedWith Branton, Wiley A. person
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Flanagan, Robert B., 1929- person
correspondedWith Fleming, Harold C. person
correspondedWith Fleming, Harold C. person
associatedWith Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), 1895-1983 person
associatedWith Goldstein, Judith, person
associatedWith Goodson, Martia, person
correspondedWith Harris, Patricia, 1924-1985. person
correspondedWith Harvard Law School Forum corporateBody
associatedWith Henderson, Scott L. person
correspondedWith Johnson, Frank M. (Frank Minis), 1918-1999. person
correspondedWith Koontz, Elizabeth D. (Elizabeth Duncan), 1919- person
associatedWith Maloof, Manuel, person
correspondedWith Martin, Louis, 1912- person
associatedWith McCoy, Charles Brelsford, 1909-1995. person
correspondedWith McKissick, Floyd B. (Floyd Bixler), 1922- person
associatedWith National Urban League. corporateBody
associatedWith National Urban League. Southern Regional Office. corporateBody
associatedWith Rosenthal, A. M. (Abraham Michael), 1922-2006 person
associatedWith United Nations. corporateBody
associatedWith United Negro College Fund. corporateBody
associatedWith Urban League of Pittsburgh (Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Urban League of Pittsburgh (Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Urban League of Pittsburgh (Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Weston, M. Moran, 1910- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
New York (N.Y.)
Washington (D.C.)
Atlanta (Ga.)
Subject
African American lawyers
African Americans
African Americans
Educational fund raising
Lawyers
Occupation
Civil Rights Lawyer
NonProfit Chief Executive
Activity

Person

Birth 1935-08-15

Birth 19350815

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 7164768