Vernon Jordan, civil rights leader dies at 85
By Jamie Gangel, Dan Merica, Suzanne Malveaux, and Veronica Stracqualursi,
Jordan died peacefully at his home surrounded by his wife and family, Jordan's niece Ann Walker confirmed to CNN. According to Walker, Jordan had his favorite dinner and dessert -- chocolate chip ice cream -- before he went to bed. "It was just the way he would have wanted it," Walker told CNN.
The former president of the National Urban League rose to prominence as a civil rights activist with close connections in all corners of American politics, though he was closest with Democrats, including presidents from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama. He also worked with Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush ,and George W. Bush.
Born on August 15, 1935, Jordan grew up in the segregated South and graduated from DePauw University in Indiana in 1957, the only Black student in his class. He then studied law at Howard University and began his career fighting segregation, starting with a lawsuit against University of Georgia's integration policy in 1961 on the behalf of two Black students, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter. Jordan accompanied the two students to the UGA admissions office that year through an angry mob of White students.
He worked as a field director for the NAACP and as a director of the Southern Regional Council for the Voter Education Project before he became president of the National Urban League. In 1980, he survived an assassination attempt on his life.
"Today, the world lost an influential figure in the fight for civil rights and American politics, Vernon Jordan. An icon to the world and a lifelong friend to the NAACP, his contribution to moving our society toward justice is unparalleled," NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement Tuesday. "In 2001, Jordan received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal for a lifetime of social justice activism. His exemplary life will shine as a guiding light for all that seek truth and justice for all people."
Clinton tapped Jordan, who left the Urban League after 10 years to practice law in DC, to serve as chairman of his 1992 presidential transition team. The position propelled Jordan into becoming a Washington power broker as he acted as a close confidant to Clinton, advising him on several hirings, golfing frequently with the President and sharing Christmas Eves together.
In the late '90s, Jordan's friendship with Clinton found him entangled in then-independent counsel Kenneth Starr's investigation, which uncovered the affair Clinton had with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky while in office. Jordan had helped Lewinsky job hunt at the request of Clinton's personal secretary and had recommended an attorney who briefly represented Lewinsky. Jordan testified several times before the grand jury.
Jordan also had an illustrious career in the corporate world, serving on the board of directors for several major American corporations.
DePauw University on Tuesday mourned the passing of Jordan, and its president, Lori S. White, said in a statement that the university "has lost a dear friend and the world has lost a determined leader."
In a tweet Tuesday morning, former President Barack Obama said he and former first lady Michelle Obama "benefited from Vernon Jordan's wise counsel and warm friendship—and deeply admired his tireless fight for civil rights. We hope the memory of his extraordinary presence and the legacy of his work bring comfort to Ann, Vickee, and his family," Obama said.
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Source: CNN - Updated 11:28 AM ET, Tue March 2, 2021.
