The LBJ Washington Center, in partnership with the Watergate Museum and Boston University School of Law, cordially invites you to an evening honoring the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan.
The program will feature the unveiling of Laurie Munn’s portrait of Barbara Jordan, created as part of her Watergate Portrait series, followed by a discussion of Jordan’s enduring impact with Dr. Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Dean of Boston University School of Law, and David Marshall LBJ Alum and Chair, 1999 LBJ School Barbara Jordan Forum.
Doors open 5:45pm. Light refreshments will be served following the discussion.
About Barbara Jordan: From her seat on the House Judiciary Committee, Barbara Jordan of Texas—the first Black woman ever elected to Congress from the South—expertly interpreted the issues of the Watergate impeachment investigation at a time when many Americans despaired about the Constitution and the country. Jordan was one of the first African-American lawmakers elected from the South since 1898, and during her three terms in office, her pragmatic leadership style enabled her to build broad coalitions of support in her diverse district. “I am willing to work through any structure,” she said. “I am not so hard that I cannot bend as long as my basic principles are intact.”1
A graduate of Texas Southern University and Boston University School of Law, Barbara Jordan served as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1973 - 1979. She taught at the LBJ School of Public Affairs from 1979 to 1996 as the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair of Public Policy, the final chapter of her long career as a public servant, civil rights leader, educator and policymaker who worked tirelessly for social justice and integrity in public service.
About the Watergate Museum: The Watergate Museum, to be located within the Watergate Complex, is dedicated to educating visitors on the intertwined history of the distinctive and pathbreaking Watergate Complex and the pivotal political events that unfolded there. Through carefully curated exhibits, historical artifacts, and expert-led programs, the Museum will bring the full story of Watergate to life—from its revolutionary design to the scandal that led to a presidential resignation.
About the Watergate Portrait Series: Originally exhibited in 2012 at the Watergate Gallery & Frame Design as part of the 40th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, Laurie Munn's portraits feature key players in the 1972 break-in and cover up, the Nixon administration, and the 1970's. The full series is on exhibit through April 25, 2026 at the Watergate Retail Plaza.
About the Speakers:
Dr. Angela Onwuachi-Willig is Dean and Ryan Roth Gallo Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law. A renowned legal scholar, Dean Onwuachi-Willig is an elected member of the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Law Institute (ALI), the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, as well as the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. She is the author of According to Our Hearts: Rhinelander v. Rhinelander and the Law of the Multiracial Family (Yale 2013). Her articles have appeared in leading law journals such as the Yale Law Journal, Harvard Law Review, Boston University Law Review, Virginia Law Review, Northwestern University Law Review, California Law Review, Michigan Law Review, Georgetown Law Journal, Texas Law Review, UCLA Law Review, and Vanderbilt Law Review. She graduated from Grinnell College, Phi Beta Kappa, and received her JD from the University of Michigan, and her PhD in sociology and African American studies from Yale University. Like Congresswoman Jordan, she is a native Houstonian. Dean Onwuachi-Willig has looked up to and admired Congresswoman Jordan since she was a child, and she is immensely proud to be lead the Congresswoman’s law school alma mater. Full bio.
David Marshall is a higher education consultant and doctoral student at the University of Baltimore. He earned his Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs and his Master of Arts in Communication from the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. During his time at LBJ, he was a chair of the 1999 LBJ School Barbara Jordan Forum, a student-led and organized series of lectures and events honoring the ethical public service leadership and commitment to community that define Barbara Jordan's legacy. Marshall is a recipient of the LBJ School Barbara Jordan Public Service Award. He was formerly the Associate Dean of Strategic Partnerships and Executive Education at George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies. He also served as the Director of Membership Engagement at NASPAA – The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration – which is the accrediting body for the LBJ School. He completed his undergraduate work at the Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs and minored in African American Studies.
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1 - Excerpt from the House of Representative's biography of Barbara Jordan