Near the time that would have been her 80th birthday, a new exhibit opened this week at the Texas State Capitol, chronicling the life of Austin politician Barbara Jordan. Describing her in just a few words is difficult, however, as this important figure was, among other things, a leader in the civil rights movement, an educator, a lawyer, and according to the story from KUT “Jordan was the first African-American to serve in the Texas Senate after Reconstruction, (and) was the first woman elected to Congress to represent Texas.”
Most Austinites may know her name, thanks to Barbara Jordan Blvd. near the Mueller area and a statue at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, but now everyone has a chance to get to know Jordan better. The exhibit is only available for a limited time, however; visitors can find it for free in the Capitol’s Rotunda until Saturday, February 27.
