},false) Under his leadership, the organization added 17 chapters and its budget grew to more than $100 million. As he saw the young couple with their one-year-old daughter, Chelsea, Jordan could feel his friends despondence. From 1971 to 1981, he worked as the president of the National Urban League for a decade. A person who often witnessed their banter described it as highly exaggerated, highly sexualized, mostly playful; it had a 19th-hole quality to it. He added: You have to remember, they were very similar in their personalities, very attractive and sensual people, and also enormously attractive to women. Each was fully aware of his own appeal, and the stories that naturally flowed from it. His daughter, Vickee Jordan, said he "passed away peacefully. A native of Tuskegee, Alabama, Ann Jordan is an American company director and former social worker. His actions briefly drew the attention of federal prosecutors investigating Clintons actions, but he was not mentioned in a final report issued by special prosecutor Ken Starr. Although Jordan held no official role in the Clinton White House, he was highly influential and had such labels as the first friend. He approached Colin Powell about becoming secretary of state and encouraged Clinton to pass the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993. Only then would he offer his opinion, a Clinton confidant explained. If Bill was going to make a political comeback, and do it in Arkansas, Hillary had to accede to the conventions of the time. gads_event = event; Jordan's daughter, Vickee Jordan, confirmed the death of her father and said he "passed away peacefully last evening surrounded by loved ones." In April 1992just a dozen years after that kitchen visit from JordanBill Clinton fought off his Democratic opponents to become his partys presumptive presidential nominee. He and his late wife had a child together, a daughter named Vickee Jordan Adams. And, surprising no one, he named Jordan to co-chair the committee that would identify would-be veeps. He also worked as a field director for the NAACP and as a director of the Southern Regional Council for the Voter Education Project. In 1986, Jordan got married to Vernon Jordan. : A Memoir. Also in 2001, Jordan was awarded the Spingarn Medal, the highest honor given by the NAACP to a Black American for outstanding achievement. The following year, he released an autobiography, Vernon Can Read! 'John Lewis: Good Trouble': A true American hero, the civil rights leader continues to fight racism today, Bill Clinton sleeps during Joe Biden's inauguration speech, Internet lauds former POTUS for 'keeping it real', "Today, the world lost an influential figure in the fight for civil rights and American politics, Vernon Jordan. Mostly, though, Jordan was there to provide supportand unvarnished advice. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. Jordans daughter, Vickee Jordan, confirmed the death of her father and said he passed away peacefully last evening surrounded by loved ones. In a statement released to the public, she added, We appreciate all of the outpouring of love and affection. Jordan is survived by his second wife, Ann Dibble, five children, and nine grandchildren. Ive already got a dinner, but I can come by after, say around nine, Jordan told him, as independent and honest with the president as always. She was field work director of Citigroup from 1989 to 2007. In the words of The New York Times: For Mr. Clinton, Mr. Jordan's roles have been manifold: Golfing companion. Youre a man of immense promise who suffered a single election loss. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Within a few hours, the networks would declare him the winner. According to the organization, he was the first to produce a State of Black America report in 1976 "after both President Gerald Fords State of the Union Address and Sen. Edmund Muskies response completely ignored the crisis then facing Black Americans.". But beyond the pecuniary considerations, he thought he could be a more effective transition chair if he wasnt in contention for a job himself. Vernon knew everybody, he remarked, and was constantly picking up intelligence. hitType: 'event', Bill listened to representatives of the Bush administration give answers to questions about domestic policy, economic policy, Hillary remembered, and he thought their answers were so weak that I knew he came out of it very fired up and thinking maybe he would actually run that year. Regarding his education and academic achievements, he went to David Tobias Howard High School from where he received his graduation. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); Then the room would clear of everyone except Jordan. Ronald Reagan and his conservative coalition had swept the nation, winning the White House, flipping the Senate, and ushering in a generational realignment of American politics. Vernon Eulion Jordan Jr., was born in Atlanta on Aug. 15, 1935, the second of Vernon and Mary Belle Jordan's three sons. He was a personal mentor and dear friend. For his higher education, he attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana from where he obtained his graduation in 1957. But there was so much more. They settled in for what both sensed would be the final night they shared together in the historic house. ", Clinton knew Jordan so well by then that he recognized what he could and couldnt talk him into. } His first wife died in 1985. He was awarded the Barnard Medal of Distinction which is the highest honor from Barnard College in 1983. Vernon Jordan, in full Vernon Eulion Jordan, Jr., (born August 15, 1935, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.died March 1, 2021, Washington, D.C.), American attorney, civil rights leader, business consultant, and influential power broker. When Jordan played the friend card, Clinton knew he had lost the argument. 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 on Tuesday. [23] A close friend of Jordan's was the Xerox tycoon Charles Peter McColough, who persuaded Jordan to join the board of trustees at Xerox. [3] He was an honors graduate of David T. Howard High School. However, in 1996, after having been convicted of murder in another case, Franklin admitted to having committed the shooting.[16]. And I realized that it was deep. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. I just took a deep breath and instead of being miserable, after that, it all began to sort of fall into place. It also broadened its focus to include voter registration drives and conflict resolution between Black people and law enforcement. }); And I also realized how dependent I had grown on him, just because we got each other. This page was last edited on 6 March 2023, at 03:20. Jordans message resonated with Clinton at the very instant he was entertaining offers that would have given him financial security and less heartache. After news of his death Monday, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough tweeted this encounter: "Several years ago, Vernon Jordan walked up to me on the way to catching a plane in DCA, shook my hand and said . Jordan, in fact, had followed the Arkansans career because of his long friendship with Clintons wife, Hillary, whom he had met at a conference in Colorado in 1969. Jordan worked for the National Association for the Advancement of. We loved him very much and always will. Feeling the sting of Clintons defeat, Jordan decided to pick up the phone, knowing the governor could use a sympathetic ear. [10], In 2004, she was one of the five-member board of directors of the Clinton Foundation. Ann was born in 1935 in Tuskegee, Alabama. He was 85. Smoother of ruffled feathers (he put the president back in touch with Zo Baird after the withdrawal of her nomination to be attorney general). Consoler in chief (after Mr. Clinton was defeated for re-election as governor in 1980, after the suicide of Vincent W. Foster Jr. in 1993). He died peacefully at his home surrounded by his wife and family, Jordan's niece Ann Walker told CNN. Vernon Jordan, who grew up in the segregated South to become an influential leader in the American civil rights movement, Washington politics and Wall Street, has died at age 85, his daughter said . Bill Clinton, having befriended him and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, decades earlier. A few hours later, Jordan pulled up to the South Portico in his red Cadillac convertible and went to the second-floor kitchen, where the president was waiting. Vernon Jordan, the civil rights lawyer who built a career as a power broker in politics and business, has died at age 85. Along with her husband, Ann also organized a Democratic fundraiser in 1994 and raised $3 million. Ann Dibble isn't the first wife of Jordan as he was previously married to Shirley (ne Yarbrough). As the president settled into the White House, a routine developed. "She's not shy at all. He is considered for being one of the influential figures in American politics. Their banter would play out at Thanksgiving at Camp David and Christmas Eve parties at the Jordans D.C. home; on Marthas Vineyard during summer vacations; and in the Oval Office. Three days later, in a nod to just how much he trusted and valued his best friend, Clintons first official announcement as president-elect was to announce Vernon Jordan as chairman of his presidential transition committee. Vernon called me and said I think you ought to go, Clinton said. In 2000, Jordan joined the New York investment firm Lazard Freres & Co. as a senior managing partner. We started talking and instantly I was struck by his intelligence, his charisma and mannerisms. Vernon Jordan, an influential leader in the American civil rights movement, Washington politics and Wall Street, died Monday evening at the age of 85 A statement from his daughter, Vickee. When Clinton later shared that same magnetism with Monica Lewinsky, a 20-something intern in the White House (now a Vanity Fair contributing editor), the consequences would be devastating, imperiling his presidency, and forcing Jordan into an uncomfortable role at the center of a national scandal. He was depressed, convinced his career as an elected official was over. Your email address will not be published. His wifes name is Ann Dibble Jordan (born in 1934) whom he married in 1986. Biography. Jordan personally escorted Hunter past a group of angry white protesters to the university admissions office. He was a cousin of James Shaw, a musician who was professionally billed as The Mighty Hannibal. [20], In the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton, Jordan was one of three individuals (with Lewinsky and Sidney Blumenthal) of whom House impeachment managers recorded a deposition. Awaiting Jordan was a piping hot plate of instant grits Hillary had purchased that morning. She is 87 years old as of 2020. The History Makers - Biography of Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. New Georgia Encyclopedia - Biography of Vernon Jordan, Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. From the early 1970s to late 1987, she worked as an associate professor at the School of Social Service Administration of the University of Chicago. Vernon Jordan stands at a perfect height above 5 feet and 5 inches. In 1986, Jordan got married to Vernon Jordan. Shirley Yarbrough Jordan, the wife of Vernon E. Jordan Jr., the former president of the National Urban League, died yesterday after a short illness at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. And he said to me after we were walking out, Shes a very attractive lady and that was a beautiful dress. [22] He was also a member of the board of directors of multiple corporations, including American Express, J.C. Penney Corporation, Asbury Automotive Group, and the Dow Jones & Company.[23]. "He was a transformational leader who brought the movement into a new era. CNN reported that Jordan, who worked as an adviser to former President Bill Clinton and as the. eventAction: 'click_ads' hitType: 'event', That single exchange presaged thousands that would keep Clinton and Jordan engaged and entertained for the next four decades. Vernon Eulion Jordan Jr. (August 15, 1935 March 1, 2021) was an American business executive and civil rights attorney who worked for various civil rights movement organizations before becoming a close advisor to President Bill Clinton. Finally, his tears subsided, Jordan started the car again and headed home. He has been in the industry for the past many decades through Jordan has amassed both fame and popularity. She has managed to keep her family life away from the limelight. On the rare occasions when he would sit in on Clintons larger Oval Office gatherings, which included the gaggle of young press and policy aides who populated the White House during the first term, Jordan would hang on the periphery, silently observing. Amid the sea of onlookers at the front of the Capitol was a beaming Vernon Jordan. His first wife died in 1985. Vernon would make you feel you were being taken into his confidence and you could trust him, that he wasnt going to screw you. }) Jordan, a friend and political adviser to Bill Clinton, served as part of Clinton's transition team in 19921993, shortly after Clinton was elected president. [23] McColough served as a mentor and friend of Jordan's until McColough's death. [4] She co-chaired President Bill Clinton's Inauguration committee in 1996. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. She just keeps her own counsel. The next question facing him: whom to pick as his running mate? ga('ads.send', { And she is in many ways a very private person, which is one of her more admirable qualities.". #RestInPower https://t.co/toI7H3J1Aa. Although he never held political office, Jordan served as a key adviser in the 1990s to U.S. Pres. }); Jordan, a graduate of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and the Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., went on to become president of the National Urban League from 1971 to 1981. Meanwhile, lawyers rushed to compile any public information available to informally pre-clear Jordans name for consideration. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), He worked as Bill Clintons close adviser. Husband, Height, Weight, Net worth, Who is Skayde? We are one of the worlds fastest growing Jordan asked the government to pay him $302,719, but he was paid only $1,215. }); Scroll down to explore more interesting personal facts and biography of Jordan: Born as Vernon Eulion Jordan Jr., he landed the planet on August 15, 1935, which makes his age be 85 years old as of 2020. And then, in January 2001, the presidents storiesat least while he was serving as commander in chiefwould come to an end. Until Jordan was 13, the family lived in public housing. Vernon Jordan was a wonderful friend to Hillary, Chelsea, and me, in good times and bad. Jordan was born on August 15, 1935, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Mary Belle (Griggs) and Vernon E. Jordan Sr.[1] He had a brother, Windsor. Civil rights leader Vernon Jordan, who was also a close advisor to former President Bill Clinton, passed away on Monday evening at the age of 85. [4][8] She is a member of The Links. Greeting each other stiffly in suits and ties, they started talking at nine in the evening. A cause of death was not immediately released. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ }); In an iconic photograph, Jordan an imposing 6 feet, 4 inches is seen holding at bay the white mob that tried to block Hunter from starting her first day of classes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); By using marriedcelebrity.com, you agree to our terms of use. He was also invited for an interview by CBS news show 60 Minutes. But on that night, he was by himself in the upstairs residence. Jordan was honored as The New Jewish Home's Eight over Eighty Gala 2017 honoree. The high-profile position landed him in the crosshairs of a racist in May 1980 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. IE 11 is not supported. In the '80s, Vernon Jordan was the target of a white supremacist shooter in 1980 inside of a hotel in Wayne, Indiana. Jordan spent his early life mostly in Atlantas segregated society with his family. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Gone was the confidence that had so impressed Jordan at their first meeting. pg.acq.push(function() { I think keeping [the] last name is bothering a lot of older Black people and we need them all. And Hillary thought: if Vernon believed she could do it and maintain her integrity and be who she was, it made her think she could do it. Hillary agreed: It was important to have his voice in that decision. His genius was his charm, observed ABC News veteran George Stephanopoulos, one of Clintons closest aides during the campaign and through the first term. She was an associate professor at the School of Social Service Administration of the University of Chicago from 1970 to 1987, director of social services of Chicago Lying-in Hospital from 1970 to 1985, and director of the Department of Social Services for the University of Chicago Medical Center from 1986 to 1987.[1][4]. Speaking to Now Magazine in 2010, the star - who is a huge Elvis Presley. In 1981 Jordan moved into private law practice, joining the Washington, D.C., office of a Texas law firm in 1982 and quietly exerting his influence in corporate and political affairs for an increasingly elite clientele. As Bill Clinton recounted, Vernon said to her, Im older than you are. In order to contribute as a civil rights activist, he joined the law office of Donald L. Hollowell after returning back to Atlanta. Forty-three years later, her husband vividly recalled the first time he met Jordan, in 1977: The Urban League banquet. eventAction: 'render' It was 3:30 a.m. Clinton told him how much he loved him. This article about an American businessperson born in the 1930s is a stub. While serving as president of the National Urban League (197281), Jordan joined corporate boards such as American Express and Dow Jones, thereby using business connections to press the case for minority hiring and advancement. Jordan was among the president's closest confidants and advisors, and he played a notable role in the Monica Lewinsky scandal, including helping the former intern find a job outside the White House. Whenever a key decision had to be made, aides would receive the same instruction: Call Vernon. And Vernon was indeed called, countless times, and asked to share his views on everything from the Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy, which allowed gay soldiers to serve in the military so long as their sexual identity remained hidden (Jordan supported the plan), to his reluctant endorsement of appointing of an independent counsel to investigate the Whitewater scandal (the worst decision of my presidency, Clinton rued 25 years later). In 1990, she was appointed as the director of National Health Laboratories, and one year later, she became a member of the Board of Trustees of the Brookings Institution. Jordan shakes Clintons hand during the inaugural parade, January 20, 1993. Adapted from FIRST FRIENDS: The Powerful, Unsung (And Unelected) People Who Shaped Our Presidents. Because of his race, he got rejected for a summer interns job with an insurance company. As Hillary herself recalled it, she had been sitting on a park bench, having just given a speech, going over the days schedule with Peter Edelman, a former Robert Kennedy aide. Vernon has been married to Tess for over 17 years and it was actually his wife that decided upon the touching gesture. I could see that he was aggressive, sure of himself and genuine, Jordan noted, when describing that first encounter. [26], In May 2017, Jordan served as the commencement speaker at the 163rd commencement of Syracuse University. But in his personal life, the 42nd president counted one man, first and foremost, as his best friend: the power broker and civil rights leader Vernon Jordan, who died in March at age 85. . Vernon and I were sitting on either side of the lectern where she was speaking, and her back was visible to Vernon. Vernon was an American business executive and civil rights activist in the United States. On November 3, 1992, Bill Clinton was in his jogging clothes when the first encouraging returns started trickling in at 6:30 p.m. His eyes watered. [12], That year he resigned from the National Urban League to take a position as legal counsel with the Washington, D.C., office of the Dallas law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. Without preamble, Clinton bore in: Will you be my attorney general?, Clinton had numerous motivations, beyond friendship. He studied law at Howard University and began his career fighting discrimination. His cause of death has not yet been disclosed. Jordan graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, in 1957. During their interview, however, they find out that Vernon was only interested in buying them out. Are you tough enough to handle this? Jordan asked his friend. Jordan grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated in 1957 from DePauw University. "She's smart, independent, caring, loyal," he . The couple also has nine grandchildren, seven from his second wife's children, Janice, Mercer, and Toni. Here I am, he remembered thinking, the son of a postman who grew up in the first public housing project in the country for African Americans, and Ive just spent the last six hours sharing everything with the most powerful man on the planet. Tears started to stream down his face. The golf course, without any prying eyes and ears, was their private venue to share those stories. Clinton and Jordans connection was solidified at a breakfast in a cramped Little Rock kitchen in 1980. Ill be way more good to you being there, 24 hours a day, to tell you what I think and not have to worry about running some department and the latest controversy. Now he was making real money. Omissions? Jordan is secretary of the board for Sasha Bruce Youthwork. He could see GOP forces gathering to oppose him; he was especially aware of the ascendance of a young Georgia congressman named Newt Gingrich, who would become Speaker of the House. American jurist, minister and government official. He was graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, in 1957. degree by being enrolled at Howard University School of Law. As one former aide said of the pair: They complemented each other perfectly: Both were extremely smart and charismatic; both were larger-than-life guys, with big appetites.. [10] From the NAACP, he moved to the Southern Regional Council and then to the Voter Education Project.[10]. Until Jordan was 13, the family lived in public housing. As they began, Clinton didnt have to say out loud what both already knew: he desperately wanted Jordan in his Cabinet. After that, he made himself move to the Southern Regional Council and finally to the Voter Education Project. Yes, he is. She was formerly known as Ann Cook. But he was exposed to Atlanta's elite through his mother, who worked as a caterer for many of the city's affluent citizens. Updated at 2:35 p.m. And that my epitaph had been written, Clinton recalled. When the meeting finally ended at midnight, the two men, exhausted, were aware they not only liked each otherbut they had just made a historic match. [4] In an oral history interview archived at the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, an interview conducted in 1964 with Robert Penn Warren for the book Who Speaks for the Negro?, Jordan described his difficulties at DePauw as the only black student in a class of 400. Jordan has four children; Antoinette Bush, Mercer Cook, Janice Roberts, and Jacqueline Cook. [15] Joseph Paul Franklin was acquitted in 1982 of charges of attempted murder. hitType: 'event', Vernon E. Jordan Jr., the civil rights leader and Washington power broker whose private counsel was sought in the highest echelons of government and the corporate world, died on Monday at his. But the economy is in much worse shape. Bill Clinton famously cultivated a wide network of friends and political loyalistsa group that came to be known as F.O.B.s, Friends of Bill. Clinton then asked Jordan to phone West Virginia senator Jay Rockefeller. He is survived by his daughter and his second wife, Ann Jordan. }); You didnt have to explain the history of the world.. Your email address will not be published. I like being a private citizen. (written with Annette Gordon-Reed), in 2001. He then continued to work for multiple civil rights organizations until the late 1980s. Bio, Wife, Net worth, Is Luci Baines Johnson Married? Interestinglyand never disclosed beforethe man Clinton ultimately picked, Senator Al Gore of Tennessee, was not on that short list. }); I saw what they were going to try to do to weaponize the courts, Clinton said. His smile, his voice, his size, his looks, his capacity to pay attention to you, all of it in combination could just get you to do anything without realizing it was really him that was pushing it. Vernon Eulion Jordan Jr., was born in Atlanta on Aug. 15, 1935, the second of Vernon and Mary Belle Jordan's three sons. It was very important to his decision.. Clinton sized up his opponents and concluded he could beat them. [11], She married Vernon Jordan in 1986,[2] and has five children and nine grandchildren. When the wine arrived, Clinton, who rarely drinks, remembered, I didnt pay attention to it, but later I found out it was some super valuable bottle to the White House. Three years before, Clinton had decided not to make a White House run. Clinton walked back the two flights of stairs to his bedroom while Jordan started down the south driveway toward the Washington Monument, illuminated in the distance. He was only a black student in the class at DePauw among 400 students and faced several difficulties which he discussed in an interview with Robert Penn Warren. He was only 34. 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. [19], In 1998, Jordan was interviewed by CBS news television program 60 Minutes. Clinton knew that when his friend offered an opinion, he wasnt just providing a consiglieres judgment but a distillation of all the intelligence he had synthesized from his vast network. }); Initially, Franklin was acquitted as the police thought that the incident might have occurred in a domestic incident related to Colemans life. After reading Peggy Noonan's editorial in the Wall Street Journal this past Saturday, I was moved to . He also probably thought of himself as a liberal Republican before it became a vanishing, extinguished species. Vernon Jordan, a civil rights leader and close Clinton aide and friend, has died. Clinton, though impeached by the House of Representatives, would leave the White House with a 66 percent job approval rating, eight points higher than when he arrived. Twenty of the previous 30 years he had worked as a civil rights activist, at relatively little pay. Vernon Jordan is not in the habit of discussing his personal life with the press. And you need me more as a friend than in the government. Vernon Jordan, a civil rights icon and adviser to former President Bill Clinton, died Monday, according to his family. Clinton and Jordan in Wyoming, August 25, 1995. Conduit to the high and mighty (he took Mr. Clinton in 1991 to the Bilderberg conference in Germany, an exclusive annual retreat for politicians and businessmen). Jordan went out of his way to extend an invitation to a restless Clinton, then in his fifth term as governor. With Bradley and Rockefeller nixed, Clinton directed Jordan to make one last call: to his friend Colin Powell, Bushs chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a hero of the Gulf War.

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