Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. talks about the role of libraries in his life

Contact: Steve Zalusky


Manager of Communications,


ALA Public Information Office


(312) 280-1546

szalusky@ala.org

NEWS


For Immediate Release,


December 23, 2008

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. talks about the role of libraries in his life

CHICAGO – A video interview with lawyer and civil rights leader Vernon E. Jordan Jr., who describes the role of libraries, including segregated libraries, in shaping his life, can be seen by visiting Visibility @ your library (
www.pio.ala.org/visibility).

Born in 1935, Jordan earned money for college while serving as chauffeur to former Atlanta Mayor Robert Maddox. After earning his law degree at Howard University, he returned to Atlanta, joining a law firm involved in a successful suit against the University of Georgia, which had refused the admission of two African American students. He personally escorted one of the students to the university’s admissions office past white protesters.

Jordan later served as Georgia field director for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), executive director of the United Negro College Fund and president of the National Urban League.

The interview is one in a series that the ALA Public Information Office is conducting with newsmakers, authors and entertainers to describe the value of librarians and librarians in their lives. In addition to the PIO blog, the stories will be posted on a library story collection site that is being developed by the Campaign for America’s Libraries.

Visibility @ your library provides librarians and library supporters with news and information about important communications issues from ALA’s Public Information Office and the Campaign for America’s Libraries.