Vernon Jordan

Vernon Eulion Jordan Jr. was born on August 15, 1935, in Atlanta, Georgia. He pursued higher education at DePauw University, graduating with a B.A. in political science in 1957, where he was noted for his public speaking abilities as the sole Black student in his class. He furthered his education by earning a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Howard University in 1960. Following his law degree, Jordan became actively involved in the civil rights movement, notably assisting Black students Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton E. Holmes in desegregating the University of Georgia in 1961. He then served as a field secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Georgia from 1961 to 1963 and later as the director of the Southern Regional Council for the Voter Education Project from 1964 to 1968.

Throughout his career, Jordan held significant leadership roles, including executive director of the United Negro College Fund in 1970, where he successfully raised $10 million for African American institutions. From 1972 to 1981, he was the president of the National Urban League, utilizing his connections to corporate boards like American Express and Dow Jones to advocate for minority hiring and advancement. After surviving an assassination attempt in 1980, he transitioned to private law practice in Washington, D.C. in 1981, joining Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in 1982. He became a close friend and advisor to President Bill Clinton, playing a key role in Clinton’s 1992 presidential transition team, though he opted to remain a powerful behind-the-scenes political force rather than take a formal political appointment.

In his later career, Jordan held positions as a senior managing director with Lazard Freres & Co. LLC, an investment banking firm, starting in January 2000. He also served on the boards of various major corporations, including American Express, J.C. Penney Corporation, Asbury Automotive Group, and Dow Jones & Company, Revlon, Sara Lee, Corning, Xerox, and RJR Nabisco. He authored an autobiography, “Vernon Can Read!”, in 2001, and a collection of his speeches, “Make It Plain,” in 2008. In 2006, he contributed to the Iraq Study Group, providing recommendations on U.S. policy in Iraq. Jordan passed away on March 1, 2021, at the age of 85, leaving behind a legacy of dedicated service in civil rights, law, and business.