Vernon Jordan

Vernon Jordan – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Discover the inspiring life, career, and memorable quotes of Vernon Jordan (1935–2021) — American businessman, civil rights leader, lawyer, advisor, and bridge-builder. Explore his legacy, lessons, and lasting influence today.

Introduction

Vernon Eulion Jordan Jr. (born August 15, 1935 – died March 1, 2021) was a towering figure in American public life: an attorney, corporate executive, civil rights leader, and trusted adviser to presidents.

He rose from the segregated South, became a key participant in the civil rights movement, helped integrate institutions, and later moved naturally between advocacy, business, and politics. His life stands as a testament to resilience, ethical leadership, and the power of bridging divides. In this article, we explore his life, his contributions, his philosophy, and his words that continue to inspire.

Early Life and Family

Vernon Jordan was born on August 15, 1935 in Atlanta, Georgia into a segregated society. His parents were Mary Belle (Griggs) and Vernon E. Jordan Sr. He had a brother, Windsor, and was a cousin of the singer known as The Mighty Hannibal.

His upbringing instilled in him both a sense of dignity and the realities of racial inequality. He saw early how opportunities were limited by segregation, but also how character and purpose could transcend those barriers.

Youth and Education

Jordan demonstrated academic promise from a young age. He attended David T. Howard High School in Atlanta, where he excelled both in academics and athletics.

He went on to DePauw University in Indiana, graduating in 1957. At DePauw, he was one of the few Black students in his class, and he learned early how to navigate predominantly white spaces with dignity and resolve.

After DePauw, he earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Howard University School of Law in 1960, sharpening his legal skills and deepening his commitment to civil rights.

A formative anecdote from his youth was his “Vernon Can Read!” moment: when a white law office partner, surprised at his composure and erudition, exclaimed, “Vernon can read!” This moment became not only his memoir’s title, but a symbolic marker of how much distance his generation had to travel.

Career and Achievements

Civil Rights Law & Advocacy

After law school, Jordan returned to Atlanta to work with Donald L. Hollowell, a prominent civil rights attorney. He partnered with Constance Baker Motley and others to challenge segregation laws. Among his early major acts was helping desegregate the University of Georgia by escorting student Charlayne Hunter through hostile crowds to enroll.

Jordan served as Georgia field director for the NAACP, then worked with the Southern Regional Council and the Voter Education Project, registering voters across the South and building grassroots political capacity.

Leadership in Nonprofits & Corporate America

In 1970, he became executive director of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), raising funds and visibility for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Then, in 1971, he became president and CEO of the National Urban League, a position he held for a decade. Under his leadership, the League expanded from civil rights and social service programs into economic opportunity, diversity in business, boardroom inclusion, and corporate partnerships.

In 1981, Jordan moved into private law and counsel practice in Washington, D.C., joining Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he advised clients in law, policy, and business. Over time, he served on the boards of major corporations (American Express, Xerox, J.C. Penney, Dow Jones, and others) and became a senior managing director at Lazard.

Adviser & Connector

Jordan’s strength lay in his ability to bridge worlds: civil rights, government, academia, and business. He was a trusted adviser to President Bill Clinton, helping with his 1992 transition and later playing roles in White House deliberations and appointments.

He also navigated controversies—such as his assistance to Monica Lewinsky during the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal—which led to public scrutiny and legal testimony about his role.

In addition to his legal and advisory work, he was a prolific public speaker and author. His memoir, Vernon Can Read! (2001), traces his journey; Make It Plain: Standing Up and Speaking Out (2008) collects his speeches and essays.

Surviving Violence

On May 29, 1980, Jordan was shot and seriously wounded in Fort Wayne, Indiana, by a white supremacist, Joseph Paul Franklin. Jordan survived after months of recovery and returned to public life, his survival itself becoming a symbol of resilience.

Historical Context & Significance

Jordan’s life spanned a transformational era in U.S. history: from Jim Crow segregation through civil rights victories, from the Black Power era into the era of corporate globalization and political realignment.

• In the 1950s–60s, civil rights battles often centered on legal challenges, protests, and integration of public institutions. Jordan’s legal work helped turn court orders into lived reality.

• As civil rights matured, the challenge shifted toward economic inclusion, corporate equity, and diversification. Jordan’s pivot into business and corporate boards was emblematic of this next frontier.

• His role as a bridge-builder—between activism and corporate power, between policy and business, between Black America and white institutions—made him uniquely positioned to influence structural change in American institutions.

Legacy and Influence

Institution Building & Influence

The National Urban League remains a major voice in advocating economic justice and equality, in part because of the expansion and strategic direction Jordan brought to it. His influence in corporate boardrooms and in hiring practices pushed the notion that civil rights cannot be separated from the boardroom.

Jordan’s mentees and colleagues carry forward his style: combining moral purpose with strategic pragmatism.

Symbol of Resilience & Bridge Leadership

He is remembered as a living example of how tenacity, humility, and relational skill can help dismantle barriers—not just legally, but in minds and institutions. His survival of violence and return to influence strengthened his moral authority.

Honors & Memorials

• He was awarded the Spingarn Medal (NAACP) for lifetime achievement.

• Howard University Law School named its library (or facilities) in his honor.

• He was a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, participated in the Iraq Study Group, and was honored by major institutions including Barnard College.

• His death on March 1, 2021, in Washington, D.C., marked the passing of one of the last connectors between the civil rights era and the corridors of political and corporate power.

Personality and Talents

Vernon Jordan was known for grace under pressure, eloquence, and relational intelligence. He had an innate ability to connect with people across racial, political, and economic divides.

He combined a lawyer’s precision with a strategist’s vision and a mentor’s empathy. His personal warmth, conviction, and capacity to act as a bridge made him more than a public figure: people trusted him.

In his speeches and writings, he emphasized responsibility, generosity, and the duty to lift others as one climbs. His life was guided by both pragmatism and principle.

Famous Quotes of Vernon Jordan

Below are some of his memorable sayings, which reflect his values, worldview, and leadership style:

“You are where you are today because you stand on somebody’s shoulders. And wherever you are heading, you cannot get there by yourself. If you stand on the shoulders of others, you have a reciprocal responsibility to live your life so that others may stand on your shoulders. It’s the quid pro quo of life.”

“I’m here because I stand on many, many shoulders, and that’s true of every black person I know who has achieved.”

“Every company, every boardroom in which I sit, has a plan, and they have objectives, goals, and a process. And to make it work, the pressure and incentive have to come from the top.”

“But there will come a time and a place to give back, and each individual will recognize that time and place.”

“What I know about this world is white people will take care of themselves. And what I have learned is that if you are where they are on an equal basis, they cannot take care of themselves without taking care of you.”

“My mother was the president of the PTA at every school I attended.”

“I had a sense of what leadership meant and what it could do for you. So am I surprised that I am sitting up here on the 62nd floor of Rockefeller Plaza? No.”

“A lot of companies make diversity a part of the performance goals against which an executive gets paid. Just as you have to make a certain sales number, you have to make a diversity number to get your bonus.”

“Terrorism is not new to black people.”

“The last job I applied for was to be a bus driver for the Chicago Transit Authority in 1957.”

These quotes echo themes of gratitude, responsibility, equity, and leadership.

Lessons from Vernon Jordan

1. Lift as you climb
   Jordan’s recurring metaphor of standing on shoulders reminds us that personal success must feed the success of others.

2. Bridge-building matters
   Instead of isolating activism from business or politics, he worked across sectors to achieve change.

3. Resilience in the face of adversity
   Surviving an assassination attempt and continuing his public mission shows deep strength of character.

4. Purpose over prestige
   He chose roles where he could influence systems and institutions, not simply amass titles.

5. Ground leadership in humility and relational trust
   His ability to connect personally, listen, advise, and persuade was central to his effectiveness.

6. Evolve with the times
   He moved from legal civil rights work into corporate and policy influence, showing adaptability without losing core values.

Conclusion

Vernon Jordan’s life offers a rare blend of moral courage, strategic intelligence, relational depth, and commitment to equity. From guiding desegregation efforts, to leading nonprofit institutions, to advising presidents and sitting on corporate boards, he embodied a 21st-century view of what it means to be a leader in America.

His legacy endures not merely in the institutions he shaped, but in the lives he lifted, the doors he opened, and the idea that one’s success is inseparable from one’s responsibility to others.