Reply #114: She was an amazing speaker--there will never be another one like her

[Manifestor_of_Light]

This was not long after she died in 1996.

My business partner & I put together a Barbara Jordan documentary on CD-ROM that we wanted to distribute to schoolchildren, and to raise money for a Community Center in her name in her old church's neighborhood (Commonly called Freedmens' Town or Fourth Ward--West Dallas). I know I spent a week putting together the business plan. I don't even remember how long it took my partner to crunch the video, get permissions from the local TV stations, etc.

The archivist at TSU was most uncooperative. Barbara Jordan's personal papers had not even been catalogued properly. They just had rows of boxes of "Miscellaneous".

We went to the minister of Barbara's church, hoping that some of her values had stuck around after she passed away. We couldn't get any money out of him to manufacture the CD-ROM in large quantities. He wanted all the money for himself. We wanted to get paid something and do good for the community as well. The black kids in her neighborhood (Fifth Ward-Lyons Avenue) and all over town need to know that they can get out of the 'hood, study hard, and be somebody. I couldn't think of a worthier cause in Houston.

It didn't happen. Thanks a lot, Good Hope. :sarcasm: