"Who Speaks For The Negro?" Page: 1 of 22

                                


"WHO SPEAKS FOR THE NEGRO?"
A talk by Senator Barbara Jordan of Houston before a
"Conference on the Role of News Media in Race Relations",
sponsored by the Texas Daily Newspaper Association and
the Texas Association of Broadcasters, at Austin, May 27, 1968.
It is always dangerous for a politician to talk to this many people who are
members of the press, but I have enjoyed what is termed by some as an
unusually favorable press since my election to the Texas Senate  (I hope
that what I say today will not reverse that judgment that we can discuss
some mutual matters of concern.
You know, as I listened to the introduction and the lists of 'firsts' -- and I
always hear this when I am introduced and people continually ask me whether
or not I get weary of being referred to as the first Negro to do this, that, and
the other and I tell them "no" I fully enjoy it and have no desire to reverse that --
I'm just willing for some seconds and thirds and fourths to come along. There
was a long drouth in the Texas Senate for Negro representation. 1883 was a long
/-/
time ago and, consequently, when I got  the Senate it created a bit of a stir,
understandably. I became a part of the sight-seeing tours of the capitol. There
were people who would stand outside the door and say to the doorkeeper : "We
understand you've got something new inside."
He said they would want to just peep in and take a look. He asked me if I was
embarrassed of that and I said : No, tell them just to glance inside, there's no
way for them to miss me.
Getting elected to the Senate caused me to have frequent contacts with members
of the press and one I thought was an interesting one came when I went into one
Of our major cities and was met by the news media, as was the custom after my
election. There was this one young reporter who just really wanted to understand