Vernon Jordan

Vernon Jordan
Vernon Jordan
	File:Vernon Jordan 2011.jpg Jordan in 2011
Born	15 August 1935 (age 91); Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Died	1 March 2021 (aged 85); Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupation(s)	Attorney, business executive, civil rights activist
Years active	1960s–2021
Known for	Civil rights activism, advisor to President Bill Clinton

Vernon Eulion Jordan Jr. (August 15, 1935 – March 1, 2021) was a distinguished American attorney and business leader who initially engaged with civil rights organizations before becoming a trusted advisor to President Bill Clinton.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Jordan completed his studies at DePauw University in 1957. During the early 1960s, he played a significant role as part of the legal team that challenged segregation at the University of Georgia. His involvement with civil rights initiatives extended into the late 1980s. By the early 1990s, Jordan had emerged as an influential supporter and counselor to Bill Clinton, contributing to his presidential transition team. Following Clinton’s administration, Jordan collaborated with numerous corporations and investment firms until his passing. He also actively endorsed John Kerry’s 2004 presidential bid.

Early life and education

Jordan entered the world on August 15, 1935, in Atlanta, Georgia, born to Mary Belle (Griggs) and Vernon E. Jordan Sr. He had a sibling named Windsor and was related to musician James Shaw (The Mighty Hannibal).

Growing up in the segregated South, Jordan graduated with distinction from David T. Howard High School. After facing racial discrimination that barred him from a summer internship, he financed his college education by working as a chauffeur for former Atlanta mayor Robert Maddox. In 1957, Jordan graduated from DePauw University as the sole African American among 400 students in his class. He earned his Juris Doctor degree at Howard University School of Law in 1960 and was affiliated with the Omega Psi Phi and Sigma Pi Phi fraternities.

Legal career and activism

Upon completing law school, Jordan returned to Atlanta to join the practice of Donald L. Hollowell, a leading figure in civil rights law. Alongside attorneys including Constance Motley, their firm filed suit against the University of Georgia for discriminatory admissions policies. The resulting 1961 Federal Court decision required the university to admit two African American students, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton E. Holmes. Jordan personally accompanied Hunter past hostile demonstrators to ensure her safe entry into the admissions office.

After departing private practice in the early 1960s, Jordan assumed the role of Georgia field director for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He subsequently worked with both the Southern Regional Council and the Voter Education Project.

In 1970, Jordan was appointed executive director of the United Negro College Fund, followed by his tenure as president of the National Urban League from 1971 through 1981.

While leading the National Urban League in 1981, Jordan publicly criticized the Ronald Reagan administration for its failure to demonstrate “compassionate conservatism” in addressing issues related to race and social class.

That same year, he stepped down to become legal counsel at the Washington, D.C., office of Dallas-based law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

Assassination attempt

On May 29, 1980, Jordan sustained serious injuries outside the Marriott Inn located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Accompanied by Martha Coleman at the time, initial police inquiries considered a domestic dispute connected to Coleman’s personal life.

During Jordan’s recovery period, then-President Jimmy Carter paid him a visit—a moment that became the first news story broadcasted by the newly launched network CNN.

Joseph Paul Franklin, a known terrorist and neo-Nazi, was charged with attempted murder but found not guilty in 1982. Years later, in 1996, following a separate conviction for murder, Franklin confessed to having carried out the shooting.

Clinton administration

As a trusted confidant of Bill Clinton, Jordan played a significant role on Clinton's transition team following the 1992 presidential election. According to The New York Times:

In the midst of the 1998 scandal involving President Clinton, Jordan assisted former White House intern Monica Lewinsky in securing employment and recommended legal representation. His participation in the matter sparked controversy, leading to multiple testimonies before independent counsel Kenneth Starr. On October 1, 2003, a U.S. appellate court rejected Jordan’s request for $302,719 in legal fees related to his aid for Clinton, granting only $1,215 instead.

Jordan appeared on the 60 Minutes program by CBS news in 1998.

During Bill Clinton’s impeachment proceedings, Jordan was among three individuals—alongside Lewinsky and Sidney Blumenthal—to be deposed by the House impeachment managers.

Later activities and death

Beginning in January 2000, Jordan held the position of senior managing director at Lazard Freres & Co. LLC, a prominent investment banking firm. He also served on the boards of influential companies such as American Express, J.C. Penney Corporation, Asbury Automotive Group, and the Dow Jones & Company.

During the 1989 leveraged buyout contest involving RJR Nabisco, Jordan sat on the boards of several corporations including Revlon, Sara Lee, Corning, Xerox, and RJR Nabisco. A close ally of Xerox magnate Charles Peter McColough, Jordan was appointed to Xerox’s board of trustees under McColough’s guidance.

In the 2004 presidential election cycle, Jordan managed debate preparation and negotiation efforts for Democratic candidate John Kerry. That year, he was also chosen as president of The Economic Club of Washington, D.C.. By 2006, he contributed to U.S. strategic policy as a member of the Iraq Study Group.

Jordan delivered the commencement speech at Syracuse University in May 2017.

He passed away at his residence in Washington, D.C., on March 1, 2021, at age 85 and was laid to rest at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Marriage and family

Jordan’s first wife was Shirley (née Yarbrough), who passed away in 1985. They had one daughter, Vickee Jordan Adams, who has worked in public affairs and media relations at both Wells Fargo and FGS Global.

In 1986, he married Ann Dibble Jordan and adopted her four children: Antoinette "Toni," Mercer, Janice, and Jacqueline. He is survived by nine grandchildren, seven of whom are from his second wife’s family.

Publications

His autobiography, Vernon Can Read! (2001), co-authored with historian Annette Gordon-Reed, recounts his life story up through the 1980s.
The compilation Make It Plain: Standing Up and Speaking Out (2008) features selected speeches with commentary that emphasize his leadership and advocacy.

Additionally, Jordan provided narration for American composer Joseph Schwantner's work New Morning for the World: Daybreak of Freedom, which incorporates excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches.

Legacy and honors

Jordan was a lifetime member of both the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bilderberg Group.
In 1983, he was bestowed with the highest accolade from Barnard College, the Barnard Medal of Distinction.
The NAACP honored him with the prestigious Spingarn Medal in 2001 for his lifetime contributions.
His memoir received Best Nonfiction Book recognition from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association in 2001; it also garnered an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and a Trailblazer Award from the Metropolitan Black Bar Association in 2002.
In 2017, he was celebrated at The New Jewish Home's Eight over Eighty Gala.
Following his passing in March 2021, the library at Howard University School of Law was named to honor his legacy.

External links