5 great black lawyers whose pioneering works changed America over time

Barbara Jordan

She was the first African-American woman to serve in the Texas state senate and the first African-American woman to represent the South in Congress. She was also the first African-American woman to speak at a Democratic National Convention. Her speech in 1974 was aimed at persuading Americans that Nixon’s impeachment ought to be supported; this is still considered to be amongst the most influential speeches in history, according to History News Network. The lawyer and politician, while in Congress, sponsored or cosponsored over 300 bills or resolutions, many of which are still in effect, according to a report by Medium. When she retired from politics, she was appointed by President Clinton to chair of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform. That same year, the educator and civil rights leader was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP.