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{\an1}GATES: Vernon Jordan is
the Rosa Parks of Wall Street.
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{\an1}LEE: The voice of reason
or conscience for presidents.
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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{\an1}BUFFET: If I ask Vernon,
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{\an1}I'm gonna get
something that's meaningful.
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{\an1}CLINTON: I had to listen to
how handsome and brilliant and
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{\an1}good he was, you know,
it was revolting.
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{\an1}NARRATOR: "Vernon Jordan:
Make it Plain"
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Coming up next.
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{\an1}NARRATOR: Funding for
"Vernon Jordan: Make it Plain"
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{\an7}was provided by Ford Foundation
Just Films.
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{\an7}And by the
Andrew W. Mellon foundation.
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{\an8}(birds chirping)
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{\an1}BERNARD: Good morning, sir.
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{\an1}JORDAN: They got you
up early this morning.
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{\an1}BERNARD: Yes, sir.
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(laughs).
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{\an1}JORDAN: All right.
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{\an1}Call Powell's secretary and see
if we're gonna have to respond.
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Yeah. All right.
I'll talk to you.
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{\an1}Bernard, how you been. Okay?
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{\an1}BERNARD: I'm fine,
thank you, sir.
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{\an1}JORDAN: This yesterday's paper?
It's all about the election.
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BERNARD: Yes.
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{\an1}JORDAN: I'm tired
of reading about that.
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(Bernard laughs).
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{\an1}JORDAN: My father was
a hard-working man.
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{\an1}He was a mail carrier.
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{\an1}And my father would
have been very content
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{\an1}had I finished high school,
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{\an1}married a nice girl,
got a job in the post office.
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{\an1}For him that would have
been very, a good thing.
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{\an1}And my mother's attitude,
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{\an1}"“That's not good
enough for this boy.
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{\an1}He's gonna do things,
and he's gonna go places."”
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{\an1}And I believed her.
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{\an7}MODERATOR: Our guest
today on "“Meet the Press"”
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{\an7}is Vernon E. Jordan, Junior,
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{\an7}President of the
National Urban League.
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{\an1}Mr. Jordan has been
active in civil rights work
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{\an1}including the NAACP
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{\an1}and the Voters Education
Project for twenty-one years.
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{\an1}He survived an assassin's
bullet in Fort Wayne, Indiana,
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last year.
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{\an1}He has announced his resignation
from the Urban League
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{\an1}effective the end of this month
to go into private law practice.
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{\an1}But it's obvious today that
the civil rights movement is
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{\an1}meeting some kind of
resistance or in some way
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{\an1}perhaps has ended.
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Is it the same as it used to be?
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{\an1}Is the momentum gone?
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{\an1}Has the civil rights
movement ended?
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{\an7}JORDAN: Well, I think that too
many people want to measure
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{\an7}the civil rights movement
by the drama of the 1960's.
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{\an7}Uh, what has happened is
that that drama has changed,
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{\an1}and that drama
brought about many,
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{\an1}many significant changes,
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{\an1}it, the Civil Rights Act of '64.
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{\an1}FAUNTROY: I see Vernon Jordan
a little differently than
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traditional civil
rights leaders.
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{\an1}He understood that you
can work to help people
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on the ground.
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{\an1}But that work is always
going to be operating under an
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{\an7}umbrella of public policy.
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{\an8}You can't help people
without changing the
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{\an8}public policies that
create the circumstances
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{\an8}in which they live.
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{\an1}JORDAN: We have no
full-employment policy.
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{\an1}We have no welfare
reform policy.
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{\an1}To paraphrase Winston Churchill,
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{\an1}"“Never have so many
expected so much and
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{\an1}received so little."”
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(applause).
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{\an1}CLINTON: When I met
Hillary in 1971,
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{\an1}first thing she did was
tell me about Vernon Jordan.
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{\an7}I had to listen to how
handsome and brilliant
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{\an7}and good he was.
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{\an7}You know, it was revolting.
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{\an1}He wanted to make his
contribution be part of
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{\an1}the movement but
have a unique life.
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{\an1}The advisor to
presidents, not just me.
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{\an1}GATES: Vernon Jordan was
the first person to realize
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{\an1}that a devastatingly effective
form of black power would be
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{\an7}top-down integration
at the heart of
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{\an7}American capitalism:
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{\an7}Wall Street.
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{\an1}Vernon Jordan has done more
to integrate the corridors of
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{\an1}financial power than any
African American in history.
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{\an1}Vernon Jordan is the
Rosa Parks of Wall Street.
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{\an7}(theme music plays)
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{\an8}(fire crackles)
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{\an7}JORDAN: "Rows start chanting,
rocking to the same rhythm in
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{\an7}our old rocking chair."
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{\an1}Speech Maker has a
big responsibility.
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{\an1}"To the highest aspirations."
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{\an1}It has to be sufficiently
entertaining that
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{\an1}people will listen.
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{\an1}But then he has
to say something that
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{\an1}makes listening worthwhile...
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{\an1}"Back in the back of his mouth."
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{\an1}Sometimes I sit here trying
to figure out what to say,
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and I look at my mom, and I say,
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{\an1}"“What do you
think about this?"”
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{\an1}TRUMP: Nearly 180,000 illegal
immigrants with criminal records
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{\an7}ordered deported from
our country are tonight
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{\an7}roaming free to
threaten peaceful citizens.
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{\an8}(audience booing).
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{\an7}CROWD: Build that wall,
Build that wall!
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{\an1}ANN: We're waiting
on you right now.
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{\an1}JORDAN: Sent you to
get me down the stairs.
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{\an1}ANN: Everyone sent me
to give you the message.
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(laughs).
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{\an1}WOMAN: So do we have everybody?
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{\an1}Should LB ride
with us in the back?
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Are you going to drive separate?
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{\an1}WOMAN 2: Can't you fit three
in the, you put three in front?
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ANN: What?
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{\an1}WOMAN 2: Nanna, go.
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{\an1}ANN: Too many bosses.
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(laughter).
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{\an1}(overlapping chatter).
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{\an1}JORDAN: I got the phrase,
"Make it Plain" in church.
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{\an1}He said, "“Make it plain,
Preacher.
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{\an1}Put it there where
we can get it."”
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{\an1}♪ CHOIR: Holy, holy, holy
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{\an1}♪ Lord, God, Almighty
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{\an1}♪ Oh thy works
shall praise Thy name ♪
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{\an1}♪ In earth and sky and sea ♪
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{\an1}JORDAN: Good morning,
Rankin Chapel.
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{\an1}CONGREGATION: Good morning.
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{\an1}JORDAN: During these times
it is tempting to believe that
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{\an1}our problems are
particular and that our
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{\an1}situation is unprecedented.
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{\an1}I have come to say
to you this morning,
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{\an1}"“We have been here before."”
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{\an1}(audience murmurs).
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{\an1}I am reminded of my earliest
exposure to American politics.
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{\an1}Growing up in
Atlanta, Georgia, in 1943,
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{\an1}there was a gubernatorial race.
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{\an1}And Governor Eugene Talmadge
comes on WSB radio,
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{\an1}and he says, "“Fellow Georgians,
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{\an1}I am running for re-election.
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{\an1}I have two planks in my
platform: niggers and roads.
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{\an1}I am against the first,
and for the second.
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{\an1}This is exactly what
President Trump is saying now.
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(applause).
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{\an1}Except his two planks
are immigrants and jobs.
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{\an1}He's against the first, and
claims to be for the second.
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{\an1}So when the executive orders
bar people from our shores
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{\an1}based on what they look
like or how they worship,
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{\an1}it is hard not to hear the
echoes of Strom Thurmond on
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{\an1}the campaign trail in
1948 or George Wallace
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{\an1}in the schoolhouse
door in 1963 saying,
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{\an1}"“Segregation today,
tomorrow, forever."”
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{\an1}We have been here before.
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(applause).
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{\an1}Indeed, because we
have been here before,
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{\an1}we know we will endure.
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{\an1}But our journey also
teaches us that endurance
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is not enough.
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{\an1}Listen. We do not sing,
"“We shall endure."”
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{\an1}(audience murmur).
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{\an1}We sing,
"“We shall overcome."”
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(applause).
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{\an7}JORDAN: A member of the
Fulton County Commission
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{\an7}made a speech recently
and was quoted in the
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{\an7}Atlanta Constitution as
saying that we have to have
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{\an7}annexation so as to prevent
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{\an1}the center city from
being governed by, quote,
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"“the uneducated
and the unfit."”
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{\an1}Now, if that is
the basis for annexation,
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{\an1}I'm opposed to it.
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{\an1}Because the uneducated
and the unfit that
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{\an1}he's talkin' about is me,
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{\an1}is Maynard, is Leroy, or others
of us in the black community
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{\an1}who not only are
educated but are well educated
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{\an1}and certainly are well
fit to do anything in this
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{\an1}community that any white
man can do in this community.
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Thank you.
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(applause).
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{\an7}JORDAN: Whenever
I come to Atlanta,
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{\an8}I come by and say
"“hello" ” to my mother.
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{\an1}And now I get to say "“hello" ”
to my mother and my brother.
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{\an1}I am proud of having grown
up in Atlanta, Georgia.
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{\an1}I grew up in the first
public housing project
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{\an1}for black people in America.
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{\an1}My father, very committed
to going to work,
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{\an1}gettin' there on time,
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and then workin'
later that night
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{\an1}as a bartender in my
mother's catering business.
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{\an1}Work was a big value
in the Jordan family.
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{\an1}I can't remember, after
I was twelve years old,
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{\an1}not having a job somewhere.
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{\an1}I was a head dishwasher
when I was fifteen years old
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{\an1}at Emory University,
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{\an1}because I was the only
one working in the dish room
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who could read.
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{\an1}You only came in contact with
white people when you got on
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{\an1}the bus and they sat up
front and you sat in the back.
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{\an1}I remember catching a streetcar.
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{\an1}And my mother would say,
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{\an1}"“Just because you
have to sit back here,
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and they have to sit up there,
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{\an1}does not mean that
they are better than you.
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{\an1}You are as good as anybody
on this streetcar."”
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{\an1}This whole experience, um,
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{\an1}convinced me that,
if I got educated,
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{\an1}I could do something about it.
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{\an1}I'd like a dollar for
the times that I've walked
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{\an1}through this campus.
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{\an1}When I went to a piano lesson,
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{\an1}I came right through here.
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{\an1}When I went to the
Ashby Street Theatre,
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{\an1}I walked right through here.
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{\an1}Because I lived
straight that way.
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{\an1}DIRECTOR:
This is your neighborhood.
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JORDAN: Yeah.
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{\an1}And one time Benjamin Mays
is leaving his house,
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{\an1}walking through the campus,
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and I'm twenty feet behind him.
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{\an1}And he's walking like this.
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{\an1}So I walked like that.
It's the absolute truth.
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{\an1}All of the presidents in
the Atlanta University center
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{\an1}were people to
whom I looked up as a kid:
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00:13:39,652 --> 00:13:41,687
{\an1}President Mays and Morehouse,
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00:13:41,787 --> 00:13:44,790
{\an1}President Rufus Clement
at Atlanta University,
229
00:13:44,890 --> 00:13:48,460
President Brawley
at Clark College.
230
00:13:50,196 --> 00:13:55,067
{\an1}The proximity had a big
influence on me and what I
231
00:13:55,167 --> 00:13:57,269
wanted to be.
232
00:14:05,110 --> 00:14:09,315
{\an1}Every Sunday morning I
looked forward to walking to
233
00:14:09,415 --> 00:14:14,453
{\an1}St. Paul AME Church with
my father and my brothers.
234
00:14:16,455 --> 00:14:21,260
{\an1}Whenever I am home in
Atlanta on a Sunday,
235
00:14:22,394 --> 00:14:24,897
{\an1}I come to St. Paul.
236
00:14:24,997 --> 00:14:27,499
{\an1}'‘Cause this is home.
237
00:14:29,501 --> 00:14:34,607
{\an1}Now, right back here is a
pew named for my mother.
238
00:14:40,045 --> 00:14:43,682
{\an1}When I went to Europe for
the first time and I was, uh,
239
00:14:43,782 --> 00:14:47,653
{\an1}I forget where I was, but
I bought a fan, you know,
240
00:14:49,989 --> 00:14:52,758
{\an1}and gave it to her.
241
00:14:52,858 --> 00:14:56,228
{\an1}And so she would come
and sit on her pew and,
242
00:14:56,328 --> 00:14:59,732
{\an1}and the other sister would say,
243
00:15:00,065 --> 00:15:02,034
{\an1}"“Sister, where'd
you get that fan?"”
244
00:15:02,134 --> 00:15:04,470
{\an1}She says, "Vernon
brought it from Europe."”
245
00:15:04,570 --> 00:15:06,038
(laughs).
246
00:15:06,138 --> 00:15:08,374
She loved it.
247
00:15:09,208 --> 00:15:12,678
{\an1}She was an unlearned,
248
00:15:12,778 --> 00:15:16,448
{\an1}unlettered black
women from the South,
249
00:15:16,548 --> 00:15:19,985
{\an1}with a Ph.D. in life.
250
00:15:20,519 --> 00:15:23,188
{\an1}I started elementary
school at Walker Street School
251
00:15:23,289 --> 00:15:26,458
{\an1}in the first grade.
252
00:15:26,859 --> 00:15:29,795
{\an1}After the first month
my mother was president
253
00:15:29,895 --> 00:15:31,797
of the PTA.
254
00:15:31,897 --> 00:15:35,567
{\an1}She then became
president of the State PTA
255
00:15:35,668 --> 00:15:38,537
{\an1}for colored children.
256
00:15:40,940 --> 00:15:42,474
{\an1}JORDAN: I could
have gone to Howard,
257
00:15:42,574 --> 00:15:45,344
I could have gone to Morehouse.
258
00:15:45,711 --> 00:15:48,013
{\an1}But I had been to
DePauw right after I
259
00:15:48,113 --> 00:15:50,215
{\an1}graduated high school.
260
00:15:50,316 --> 00:15:54,353
{\an1}I knew that I was going to be
the only black in my class.
261
00:15:54,453 --> 00:15:58,257
{\an1}I wanted to do
something different.
262
00:15:58,924 --> 00:16:03,462
{\an1}I wanted to be
in another challenging,
263
00:16:04,063 --> 00:16:06,765
{\an1}boring almost, setting.
264
00:16:09,335 --> 00:16:11,503
{\an1}My mother wrote me a note.
265
00:16:12,404 --> 00:16:14,873
{\an1}"“Dear Man"”,
she called me, "“Man."”
266
00:16:16,008 --> 00:16:17,609
{\an1}And she called me "“Man"”
267
00:16:17,710 --> 00:16:21,647
{\an1}because young white men
would call my father "“boy."”
268
00:16:22,448 --> 00:16:25,985
{\an1}And she wanted me to
know that I was a man.
269
00:16:26,752 --> 00:16:30,022
{\an1}She said, "“Dear Man, we want
you to go to college wherever
270
00:16:30,122 --> 00:16:32,091
{\an1}you want to go to college.
271
00:16:32,191 --> 00:16:35,661
{\an1}But it may be a better thing
for you to go to Howard.
272
00:16:35,761 --> 00:16:38,263
{\an1}You'd be with your own people,
273
00:16:38,364 --> 00:16:42,368
{\an1}and you might be more
suited academically."”
274
00:16:43,569 --> 00:16:45,871
So I come home, I read my note.
275
00:16:45,971 --> 00:16:49,008
{\an1}I say, "“Mama,
I'm goin' to DePauw."”
276
00:16:49,608 --> 00:16:52,711
{\an1}She said, "“All right.
Then we'll take you."”
277
00:16:57,316 --> 00:16:59,118
{\an1}PHOTOGRAPHER: Beautiful.
278
00:16:59,485 --> 00:17:00,753
{\an1}(overlapping chatter).
279
00:17:00,853 --> 00:17:02,388
{\an1}GRADUATE: Yeah, I wanna try.
280
00:17:02,488 --> 00:17:04,289
{\an1}Could I get a picture
with you at some point,
281
00:17:04,390 --> 00:17:06,025
Mr., Mr. Jordan?
282
00:17:06,125 --> 00:17:07,793
{\an1}OFFICIAL: Step right in there.
283
00:17:07,893 --> 00:17:09,495
(inaudible).
284
00:17:09,595 --> 00:17:11,597
{\an1}GRADUATE: Yes, yes, please.
285
00:17:13,198 --> 00:17:15,534
{\an1}Thank you very much.
286
00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,443
{\an7}(overlapping chatter)
287
00:17:25,344 --> 00:17:29,415
{\an7}JORDAN: I love
this place, DePauw.
288
00:17:31,250 --> 00:17:37,489
{\an1}While I learned a lot here,
I also taught a lot,
289
00:17:39,058 --> 00:17:42,928
{\an1}just by the very
fact of my presence.
290
00:17:44,496 --> 00:17:50,669
{\an1}That's in part because I
was the only black student
291
00:17:50,769 --> 00:17:57,042
{\an1}in my class, one of
only five enrolled at DePauw
292
00:17:58,077 --> 00:18:00,245
at the time.
293
00:18:01,346 --> 00:18:05,818
{\an1}My roommates were
two white Midwesterners.
294
00:18:06,452 --> 00:18:10,222
{\an1}They were seniors and best
friends and planned to room
295
00:18:10,322 --> 00:18:13,826
{\an1}together their senior year.
296
00:18:13,926 --> 00:18:19,098
{\an1}But when they showed
up at 106 Longden Hall,
297
00:18:20,532 --> 00:18:24,703
{\an1}I was already there for
freshman orientation week.
298
00:18:25,737 --> 00:18:30,809
{\an1}When they walked into that
room and saw me sitting there,
299
00:18:32,044 --> 00:18:36,415
the look on their
faces said it all,
300
00:18:36,515 --> 00:18:41,286
{\an1}"“What have we gotten
ourselves into now?"”
301
00:18:41,787 --> 00:18:45,257
{\an1}They were not
hostile or impolite.
302
00:18:45,357 --> 00:18:48,560
{\an1}We coexisted for three weeks.
303
00:18:48,660 --> 00:18:53,365
{\an1}Then one night I came
in from the library,
304
00:18:53,465 --> 00:18:57,769
{\an1}and they were in the room
in deep conversation.
305
00:18:58,770 --> 00:19:02,941
I spoke to them, and one said,
306
00:19:03,041 --> 00:19:06,812
{\an1}"“We've been talking about you."”
307
00:19:06,912 --> 00:19:09,815
{\an1}And I said then,
"“What have you concluded?"”
308
00:19:09,915 --> 00:19:12,184
(laughter).
309
00:19:12,417 --> 00:19:15,120
And they said almost in unison,
310
00:19:15,220 --> 00:19:20,392
{\an1}"“We have concluded that you
are no different than we are.
311
00:19:23,228 --> 00:19:25,464
{\an1}You go to sleep at your desk.
312
00:19:25,564 --> 00:19:27,032
You snore."
313
00:19:27,132 --> 00:19:28,333
(laughter).
314
00:19:28,433 --> 00:19:29,835
{\an1}"“You sing in the shower.
315
00:19:29,935 --> 00:19:33,805
{\an1}You get mail and you get
cookies and cakes from home.
316
00:19:34,606 --> 00:19:39,278
{\an1}You play basketball, and
you drink beer and whisky."”
317
00:19:40,179 --> 00:19:42,948
(laughter).
318
00:19:43,815 --> 00:19:47,386
{\an1}For three years I was the
head waiter at Longden Hall.
319
00:19:48,987 --> 00:19:52,491
{\an1}And when Richard Nixon
came in 1956,
320
00:19:52,591 --> 00:19:55,928
{\an1}I was given the honor of
serving the head table.
321
00:19:56,562 --> 00:19:59,665
{\an1}That photograph of me
with the pitcher in my hand
322
00:19:59,765 --> 00:20:02,234
{\an1}just over Richard Nixon
323
00:20:02,334 --> 00:20:05,737
{\an1}was a photograph
that, years later,
324
00:20:05,837 --> 00:20:09,107
{\an1}President Nixon invited
me to the Oval Office.
325
00:20:10,175 --> 00:20:14,580
{\an1}And my gift to him was to
show him that photograph,
326
00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,548
which he loved.
327
00:20:16,648 --> 00:20:18,917
{\an1}And he loved it because he said,
328
00:20:19,017 --> 00:20:22,588
{\an1}"“Vernon, I was a
waiter in college, too."”
329
00:20:22,921 --> 00:20:25,023
{\an1}He signed the
picture, and I said,
330
00:20:25,123 --> 00:20:27,726
{\an1}"“Mr. President, what you
need to understand about this
331
00:20:27,826 --> 00:20:32,998
{\an1}photograph is that it was
taken when both of us were on
332
00:20:33,098 --> 00:20:34,600
our way up."”
333
00:20:36,835 --> 00:20:39,738
{\an1}JORDAN: I went to law school
out of some sense of mission.
334
00:20:39,838 --> 00:20:42,641
{\an1}I went to the Howard
Law School in particular
335
00:20:42,741 --> 00:20:45,644
{\an1}because of its national
reputation in civil rights,
336
00:20:45,744 --> 00:20:48,413
{\an1}uh, because of its, uh,
337
00:20:48,914 --> 00:20:52,417
{\an1}Professor Jim Nabrit
initiated the person who
338
00:20:52,517 --> 00:20:53,986
{\an1}is now president
of the University...
339
00:20:54,086 --> 00:20:55,254
MAN: Yeah...
340
00:20:55,354 --> 00:20:58,056
{\an1}JORDAN: Initiated the first
schools in civil rights and
341
00:20:58,156 --> 00:21:00,259
{\an1}who, uh, taught me
constitutional law which is
342
00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,295
{\an1}one of the great
privileges of my life.
343
00:21:04,263 --> 00:21:05,831
I get to Howard.
344
00:21:05,931 --> 00:21:07,799
I'm a freshman.
345
00:21:07,899 --> 00:21:10,269
{\an1}And there's a lecture
by Thurgood Marshall.
346
00:21:11,703 --> 00:21:17,809
{\an1}And I, I cannot tell you
what it felt like to walk
347
00:21:18,410 --> 00:21:22,447
{\an1}into the moot courtroom and
hear Thurgood Marshall talk.
348
00:21:23,115 --> 00:21:26,952
{\an1}I knew that I was
in the right place.
349
00:21:27,786 --> 00:21:30,455
{\an1}FAUNTROY:
Howard University School of Law,
350
00:21:30,889 --> 00:21:33,892
{\an1}it was a place where the most
successful litigation strategy
351
00:21:35,294 --> 00:21:37,863
{\an1}in American legal
history was put together.
352
00:21:39,064 --> 00:21:41,767
{\an1}NAACP Legal Defense Fund with
Thurgood Marshall had come
353
00:21:41,867 --> 00:21:43,902
{\an1}through and begun to
have a series of victories
354
00:21:44,002 --> 00:21:45,704
{\an1}that led up to Brown.
355
00:21:45,804 --> 00:21:47,806
{\an1}In the immediate
post-Brown period,
356
00:21:47,906 --> 00:21:51,209
{\an1}Vernon Jordan is
going to law school,
357
00:21:51,310 --> 00:21:54,980
{\an1}learning how to take these
victories that were more than
358
00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,350
{\an1}just case studies, but
actually a road map for future
359
00:21:58,450 --> 00:22:00,886
{\an1}victories in other places.
360
00:22:01,687 --> 00:22:05,624
{\an1}JORDAN: All of their
dry runs were in the
361
00:22:05,724 --> 00:22:08,327
Howard University
moot courtroom.
362
00:22:11,363 --> 00:22:15,300
{\an1}As students we would,
during the breaks,
363
00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,171
{\an1}stand four feet away so we
could hear what they were
364
00:22:19,271 --> 00:22:23,742
{\an1}talkin' about as they
assessed the arguments.
365
00:22:24,676 --> 00:22:27,245
{\an1}And my ultimate experience
as a young lawyer,
366
00:22:27,346 --> 00:22:28,714
Wiley Branton,
367
00:22:28,814 --> 00:22:31,116
{\an1}who was the lawyer for
the Little Rock Nine,
368
00:22:31,216 --> 00:22:35,253
{\an1}moved to my admission to
the U.S. Supreme Court.
369
00:22:36,688 --> 00:22:40,625
{\an1}And when I took my hand
down after being sworn in,
370
00:22:40,726 --> 00:22:44,229
{\an1}I looked directly at
Thurgood Marshall,
371
00:22:44,329 --> 00:22:45,964
{\an1}and Thurgood Marshall,
372
00:22:46,064 --> 00:22:48,033
{\an1}from the bench
of the Supreme Court,
373
00:22:48,133 --> 00:22:51,503
{\an1}winked his eye at me.
374
00:22:52,804 --> 00:22:57,409
{\an1}My mother said, "“That was
the laying on of hands."”
375
00:22:57,943 --> 00:23:00,345
{\an1}I came home out of
some sense of mission,
376
00:23:00,445 --> 00:23:04,216
{\an1}feeling that, uh,
I'd come back south,
377
00:23:04,316 --> 00:23:07,085
{\an1}I could do something
about the problem.
378
00:23:07,185 --> 00:23:09,855
{\an1}I began my
law career working for
379
00:23:09,955 --> 00:23:12,958
{\an1}Donald L. Hollowell,
380
00:23:13,058 --> 00:23:16,928
{\an1}who was then the prominent
civil rights lawyer in Atlanta,
381
00:23:17,028 --> 00:23:20,866
for $35 a week.
382
00:23:22,768 --> 00:23:25,670
{\an1}And I didn't go to
the office my first day.
383
00:23:25,771 --> 00:23:29,074
{\an1}I went straight to the
Atlanta Municipal Court to get
384
00:23:29,174 --> 00:23:34,513
{\an1}students from the Atlanta
Prison Center out of jail.
385
00:23:37,315 --> 00:23:40,852
{\an1}HUNTER-GAULT: Hollowell went
where angels feared to tread.
386
00:23:42,721 --> 00:23:45,023
{\an8}You know, you
look back over it now.
387
00:23:45,123 --> 00:23:47,459
{\an7}But I mean, you're going
into a place where people
388
00:23:47,559 --> 00:23:50,462
{\an8}have been hung by
the Ku Klux Klan,
389
00:23:50,562 --> 00:23:52,431
{\an8}and their houses
have been burned.
390
00:23:52,531 --> 00:23:54,299
It was dangerous.
391
00:23:54,399 --> 00:23:55,801
{\an1}HOLLOWELL: Uh,
you have asked me,
392
00:23:55,901 --> 00:23:58,937
{\an1}what other plans do we
have in connection with Reverend
393
00:23:59,037 --> 00:24:01,540
{\an1}Martin Luther King's release.
394
00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:04,676
{\an1}Of course, this would depend
upon whether or not the court
395
00:24:04,776 --> 00:24:07,946
{\an1}granted our motion to vacate.
396
00:24:08,046 --> 00:24:10,715
{\an1}JORDAN: The first case
that I was involved in with
397
00:24:10,816 --> 00:24:13,852
{\an1}Don Hollowell was eight
weeks after law school.
398
00:24:14,152 --> 00:24:18,390
{\an1}I was with Nathaniel Johnson
the night before he went to
399
00:24:18,490 --> 00:24:23,328
{\an1}the electric chair, because
there were no black lawyers in
400
00:24:23,662 --> 00:24:26,698
{\an1}Augusta, Georgia, in 1959.
401
00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:29,410
{\an7}GATES: When was
the first time I ever
402
00:24:29,434 --> 00:24:31,336
{\an7}saw Vernon Jordan?
403
00:24:31,436 --> 00:24:32,671
{\an7}I saw Vernon Jordan on a
404
00:24:32,771 --> 00:24:35,307
{\an7}black and white TV set
when I was,
405
00:24:35,907 --> 00:24:37,342
{\an7}eleven years old.
406
00:24:37,676 --> 00:24:41,746
{\an1}There was a tall, handsome
black man walking next to a
407
00:24:41,847 --> 00:24:44,216
young black coed.
408
00:24:44,316 --> 00:24:48,053
{\an1}He was escorting her through
this, a wall of hostility.
409
00:24:52,991 --> 00:24:55,594
{\an1}HUNTER-GAULT: I didn't get
involved in civil rights until
410
00:24:55,694 --> 00:24:58,029
{\an1}my senior year in high school.
411
00:24:58,363 --> 00:25:00,832
{\an1}They came to our school
and asked our principal that,
412
00:25:00,932 --> 00:25:04,836
{\an1}did they have any top
students who could apply
413
00:25:04,936 --> 00:25:07,506
{\an1}to the local white college.
414
00:25:08,607 --> 00:25:12,978
{\an1}Hamilton Holmes was
the first in our class.
415
00:25:13,078 --> 00:25:14,312
{\an1}He wanted to be a doctor.
416
00:25:14,412 --> 00:25:15,547
{\an1}I looked at the curriculum.
417
00:25:15,647 --> 00:25:17,883
{\an1}I wanted to be a journalist.
418
00:25:17,983 --> 00:25:20,919
{\an1}And that was the
beginning of our journey,
419
00:25:21,019 --> 00:25:24,890
not necessarily to be pioneers,
420
00:25:24,990 --> 00:25:27,158
{\an1}but to realize our dreams.
421
00:25:29,227 --> 00:25:32,664
{\an1}We had won, and we were
gonna claim our victory.
422
00:25:48,413 --> 00:25:50,515
{\an1}It was my mother, Vernon
and me, and, of course,
423
00:25:50,615 --> 00:25:54,786
{\an1}we were surrounded by all of
the reporters and students
424
00:25:54,886 --> 00:25:57,522
{\an1}yelling ugly racial epithets.
425
00:26:07,365 --> 00:26:11,102
{\an1}Vernon was very serious
and very determined.
426
00:26:11,202 --> 00:26:14,606
{\an1}So I didn't pay much attention
to him when we first met.
427
00:26:15,206 --> 00:26:17,075
He was focused.
428
00:26:17,175 --> 00:26:20,111
{\an1}He was focused on his mission.
429
00:26:20,211 --> 00:26:22,681
{\an1}FAUNTROY: He understood that
there were television cameras
430
00:26:22,781 --> 00:26:24,349
{\an1}that were there recording.
431
00:26:24,749 --> 00:26:25,984
And what we know,
432
00:26:26,084 --> 00:26:30,455
{\an8}broadcasting images
around the country on
433
00:26:30,555 --> 00:26:34,259
{\an8}the nightly news
tells a story that is
434
00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:36,061
{\an8}difficult to ignore.
435
00:26:36,595 --> 00:26:40,665
{\an1}I'm here, I have agency,
I have humanity,
436
00:26:40,765 --> 00:26:42,634
{\an1}and I have dignity.
437
00:26:44,369 --> 00:26:47,539
{\an1}And you all are going to
have to deal with that,
438
00:26:47,639 --> 00:26:49,240
because I'm not going anywhere.
439
00:26:56,181 --> 00:26:57,949
{\an1}HUNTER-GAULT: We were focused.
440
00:26:58,049 --> 00:26:59,651
{\an1}I'm here to do a job,
441
00:26:59,751 --> 00:27:02,487
{\an1}and I'm gonna get this job done.
442
00:27:02,587 --> 00:27:06,791
{\an1}All of the rest of that
just faded away, to go forth,
443
00:27:07,592 --> 00:27:10,161
go forward, and
get the job done.
444
00:27:16,001 --> 00:27:21,640
{\an1}JORDAN: In 1961 the NAACP
offered me a job as the
445
00:27:21,740 --> 00:27:24,476
{\an1}Georgia field director.
446
00:27:26,478 --> 00:27:32,350
{\an1}I was organizing, and
I was rehabilitating branches
447
00:27:33,518 --> 00:27:36,521
{\an1}that had gone down.
448
00:27:36,921 --> 00:27:40,291
{\an1}My first year my
membership results were the
449
00:27:40,392 --> 00:27:42,894
{\an1}best in the South.
450
00:27:46,731 --> 00:27:50,001
{\an1}I had the same job
in Georgia that Medgar
451
00:27:50,101 --> 00:27:52,570
{\an1}had in Mississippi.
452
00:27:52,671 --> 00:27:54,873
{\an1}But he was older than me,
and he had been doing the
453
00:27:54,973 --> 00:27:57,008
job much longer.
454
00:27:57,542 --> 00:28:01,246
{\an1}Medgar and I became
very good friends.
455
00:28:03,148 --> 00:28:04,916
{\an1}MAN: Why do you feel
that it is important for
456
00:28:05,016 --> 00:28:06,685
Negroes to vote?
457
00:28:06,785 --> 00:28:08,620
{\an1}EVERS: For example,
here in Jackson,
458
00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,156
{\an1}there is not one
single Negro policeman.
459
00:28:11,256 --> 00:28:13,825
{\an1}Uh, there are some 60,000
Negroes who live in the,
460
00:28:13,925 --> 00:28:17,929
{\an1}in Jackson, Mississippi,
with no, uh, Negroes
461
00:28:18,029 --> 00:28:20,265
{\an1}represented on the police force.
462
00:28:20,365 --> 00:28:25,603
{\an1}JORDAN: Very charismatic
and totally unafraid.
463
00:28:27,872 --> 00:28:29,617
{\an1}EVERS: I have had a number
of threatening calls,
464
00:28:29,641 --> 00:28:32,310
{\an1}people calling me, saying
that they were gonna kill me,
465
00:28:32,410 --> 00:28:34,846
{\an1}uh, saying that they were
gonna blow my home up,
466
00:28:34,946 --> 00:28:37,182
{\an1}and, uh, saying
that I only had a few
467
00:28:37,282 --> 00:28:39,417
hours to live.
468
00:28:40,118 --> 00:28:43,388
{\an1}JORDAN: That spring
I called him up, and I said,
469
00:28:43,488 --> 00:28:47,058
{\an1}"“Medgar, I'm leaving.
470
00:28:47,158 --> 00:28:49,994
{\an1}I'm gonna work for the
Southern Regional Council."”
471
00:28:50,929 --> 00:28:54,199
{\an1}He said, "“Vernon,
that's what you should do.
472
00:28:54,299 --> 00:28:57,335
{\an1}But I can't leave."”
473
00:28:58,336 --> 00:29:01,372
{\an1}And then he was assassinated.
474
00:29:01,806 --> 00:29:04,476
{\an1}REPORTER: NAACP official
Medgar Evers was shot and
475
00:29:04,576 --> 00:29:06,945
{\an1}killed by a sniper.
476
00:29:07,045 --> 00:29:10,148
{\an1}Evers, a 37-year-old
father of three and a veteran,
477
00:29:10,248 --> 00:29:13,017
{\an1}was buried in
Arlington National Cemetery.
478
00:29:17,222 --> 00:29:21,826
{\an1}JORDAN: Medgar knew
what was in store,
479
00:29:22,227 --> 00:29:26,164
{\an1}and left us too early.
480
00:29:30,335 --> 00:29:33,905
{\an1}(disco music plays)
481
00:29:41,846 --> 00:29:48,086
{\an1}In 1970 I was offered the job
as executive director of the
482
00:29:49,487 --> 00:29:53,625
{\an1}United Negro College Fund,
which meant I had to leave
483
00:29:53,725 --> 00:29:57,128
{\an1}Atlanta and move to New York.
484
00:30:01,332 --> 00:30:05,036
{\an1}Achievement, success, record,
485
00:30:05,136 --> 00:30:10,308
{\an1}making a real difference
in the life of this nation,
486
00:30:11,209 --> 00:30:14,345
{\an1}is a story of
colleges within the
487
00:30:14,445 --> 00:30:17,215
{\an1}United Negro College Fund.
488
00:30:17,315 --> 00:30:22,453
{\an1}When I got to New York,
my most enthusiastic and
489
00:30:22,554 --> 00:30:27,625
{\an1}committed mentor
was Whitney M. Young.
490
00:30:29,394 --> 00:30:33,498
{\an1}Whitney has never
gotten his just due.
491
00:30:34,132 --> 00:30:36,835
He revitalized the Urban League.
492
00:30:37,836 --> 00:30:39,604
{\an1}YOUNG: My only plea is that,
493
00:30:39,704 --> 00:30:42,740
{\an1}if we must polarize
in this country,
494
00:30:42,841 --> 00:30:45,977
{\an1}then let us no longer
polarize on the basis of
495
00:30:46,077 --> 00:30:49,781
{\an1}race or religion
or economic status.
496
00:30:51,482 --> 00:30:55,587
{\an1}But let us polarize on the
basis of decent people versus
497
00:30:55,687 --> 00:30:59,057
indecent people,
between people...
498
00:30:59,324 --> 00:31:01,292
{\an1}JORDAN: The black
power structure in New York
499
00:31:01,392 --> 00:31:04,629
{\an1}didn't like it that Whitney
500
00:31:04,729 --> 00:31:07,832
{\an1}came from Atlanta to take
over the Urban League,
501
00:31:07,932 --> 00:31:10,401
{\an1}and they were not consulted.
502
00:31:10,501 --> 00:31:14,072
{\an1}And then this kid comes from
Atlanta to take over the
503
00:31:14,172 --> 00:31:16,641
{\an1}College Fund and raise
more money than had
504
00:31:16,741 --> 00:31:18,910
ever been raised.
505
00:31:19,344 --> 00:31:21,746
{\an1}MAN: The United Negro College
Fund has helped black students
506
00:31:21,846 --> 00:31:23,248
{\an1}help get an education.
507
00:31:23,348 --> 00:31:25,884
{\an1}But today there just isn't
enough money, and tomorrow...
508
00:31:26,417 --> 00:31:29,320
{\an1}PROFESSOR: We're sorry, but
this course has been canceled.
509
00:31:29,787 --> 00:31:31,356
MAN: Please don't
let this happen.
510
00:31:31,456 --> 00:31:33,625
{\an7}A mind is a terrible
thing to waste.
511
00:31:35,994 --> 00:31:39,931
{\an1}JORDAN: A year after I
got to New York to run
512
00:31:40,031 --> 00:31:42,033
{\an1}the College Fund,
Whitney Young died.
513
00:31:44,903 --> 00:31:47,705
{\an1}And I was asked to
be his successor.
514
00:31:50,375 --> 00:31:54,112
{\an1}No man can enter lightly
upon the task of carrying the
515
00:31:54,212 --> 00:31:58,449
{\an1}mission to which Whitney Young
brought such unique wisdom,
516
00:31:59,250 --> 00:32:01,619
{\an1}effectiveness, and grace.
517
00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:08,192
{\an1}I accept, not because of the
honor of succeeding a great man,
518
00:32:08,626 --> 00:32:12,230
{\an1}but out of a deep sense
of duty and responsibility to
519
00:32:12,330 --> 00:32:16,567
{\an1}use whatever talents and
abilities I have to help black
520
00:32:16,668 --> 00:32:20,672
{\an1}people in America achieve
their rightful and just place
521
00:32:20,772 --> 00:32:22,540
in this society.
522
00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:24,742
My approach will be my approach.
523
00:32:24,842 --> 00:32:26,978
{\an1}And, uh, whatever, uh,
524
00:32:27,078 --> 00:32:29,414
{\an1}however that may be
interpreted in terms of
525
00:32:29,514 --> 00:32:31,049
{\an1}whether it's moderate or,
526
00:32:31,149 --> 00:32:34,152
{\an1}or radical or conservative,
that's not for me to judge.
527
00:32:34,252 --> 00:32:36,054
{\an1}It is for the
Urban League board,
528
00:32:36,154 --> 00:32:38,556
{\an1}the Urban League constituency,
and black people and white
529
00:32:38,656 --> 00:32:42,093
{\an1}people generally to, to,
to, to judge what kind of
530
00:32:42,193 --> 00:32:44,529
{\an1}leadership that will be.
531
00:32:44,629 --> 00:32:46,397
{\an1}FAUNTROY: The
National Urban League is a
532
00:32:46,497 --> 00:32:47,932
{\an1}civil rights organization.
533
00:32:48,032 --> 00:32:53,705
{\an1}And over time it added to
its advocacy to be involved
534
00:32:54,172 --> 00:32:56,541
{\an1}in lobbying on public
policy changes.
535
00:32:58,376 --> 00:33:02,347
{\an1}JORDAN: I was the first
non-social worker who headed
536
00:33:02,447 --> 00:33:04,315
{\an1}up the Urban League.
537
00:33:04,415 --> 00:33:07,485
{\an1}I thought like I was trained,
like a lawyer.
538
00:33:09,220 --> 00:33:10,455
{\an7}CROWD: Off the pigs!
539
00:33:10,555 --> 00:33:12,657
{\an7}♪ GROUP: No more
brothers in jail. ♪♪
540
00:33:12,757 --> 00:33:13,891
{\an7}CROWD: Off the pigs!
541
00:33:13,992 --> 00:33:16,361
{\an7}♪ GROUP: Revolution has come.
542
00:33:16,461 --> 00:33:17,762
{\an7}CROWD: Off the pigs!
543
00:33:17,862 --> 00:33:20,098
{\an7}♪ GROUP: Revolution has come. ♪
544
00:33:20,198 --> 00:33:21,742
{\an7}JORDAN: When I arrived
at the Urban League,
545
00:33:21,766 --> 00:33:23,267
{\an7}Martin Luther King, Jr.
546
00:33:23,368 --> 00:33:24,568
{\an8}had been dead for three years.
547
00:33:24,802 --> 00:33:27,972
{\an7}The NAACP had lost
some of its clout,
548
00:33:28,072 --> 00:33:30,908
{\an7}taking a back seat to
the strident tone of the
549
00:33:31,009 --> 00:33:32,377
{\an7}black power movement.
550
00:33:32,643 --> 00:33:35,513
{\an7}♪ GROUP: Black is beautiful! ♪♪
551
00:33:36,147 --> 00:33:39,417
{\an7}JORDAN: There was the notion
that there had to be a leader of
552
00:33:39,517 --> 00:33:41,085
{\an7}the black community.
553
00:33:41,185 --> 00:33:45,123
{\an7}What single individual would
step up and take the mantle of
554
00:33:45,223 --> 00:33:47,258
{\an7}Martin Luther King, Jr.?
555
00:33:47,759 --> 00:33:51,195
{\an7}This was very much in
the mind set of the times.
556
00:33:52,730 --> 00:33:54,532
{\an7}BROWN: Can black people
survive culturally and
557
00:33:54,632 --> 00:33:56,501
{\an7}physically in America?
558
00:33:56,601 --> 00:33:59,604
{\an7}Can we ever be a part of the
existing white institutions?
559
00:33:59,704 --> 00:34:01,639
{\an7}Or should we be
developing our own?
560
00:34:01,739 --> 00:34:05,376
{\an1}Can we as a people develop
solutions to our dilemma fast
561
00:34:05,476 --> 00:34:08,413
{\an1}enough to counteract the
present rate of growth of the
562
00:34:08,513 --> 00:34:10,948
{\an1}oppressive factors built
into this society by
563
00:34:11,049 --> 00:34:13,184
{\an1}institutional white racism?
564
00:34:13,684 --> 00:34:16,020
{\an1}As black people,
we must deal with the issues.
565
00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:17,722
Is it too late?
566
00:34:18,456 --> 00:34:21,726
{\an1}["“A Black Journal Special" ”
theme music plays].
567
00:34:28,166 --> 00:34:29,500
{\an1}BROWN:
Tonight on "Black Journal",
568
00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:31,803
{\an1}Reverend Ralph Abernathy,
569
00:34:32,236 --> 00:34:34,806
{\an1}Imamu Amiri Baraka,
570
00:34:35,173 --> 00:34:37,442
{\an1}Reverend Albert Clay,
571
00:34:38,042 --> 00:34:43,748
{\an1}Mr. Roy Innis,
Mr. Vernon Jordan.
572
00:34:45,750 --> 00:34:47,652
{\an1}CLAY: Most of the panel
is integrationists which
573
00:34:47,752 --> 00:34:49,587
{\an1}is outmoded and
obsolete and will tend
574
00:34:49,687 --> 00:34:51,155
{\an1}to destroy black people.
575
00:34:51,255 --> 00:34:52,890
{\an1}We have got to,
black people have got
576
00:34:52,990 --> 00:34:56,027
{\an1}to drive integrationists,
integration organizations,
577
00:34:56,127 --> 00:34:57,927
{\an1}the black churches and
integrationists to say,
578
00:34:57,962 --> 00:35:00,007
{\an1}we have got to drive them
out of the black community.
579
00:35:00,031 --> 00:35:01,232
BROWN: All right.
580
00:35:01,332 --> 00:35:03,377
{\an1}CLAY: We can't put together
a program that's dependent on
581
00:35:03,401 --> 00:35:05,036
{\an1}dealing with black integration.
582
00:35:05,136 --> 00:35:06,580
{\an1}BROWN: May we...
CLAY: They are the enemy.
583
00:35:06,604 --> 00:35:08,082
{\an1}BROWN: All right, Mr. Jordan was
trying to make a point.
584
00:35:08,106 --> 00:35:09,107
{\an1}And then Mr. Gregory.
585
00:35:09,207 --> 00:35:10,842
{\an1}JORDAN: I think that
Reverend Clay don't
586
00:35:10,942 --> 00:35:12,076
{\an1}understand that the,
587
00:35:12,176 --> 00:35:14,178
{\an1}that those of us who do
take a position on an open
588
00:35:14,278 --> 00:35:16,314
{\an1}pluralistic society,
that we're not going out
589
00:35:16,414 --> 00:35:17,414
{\an1}of the black community.
590
00:35:17,448 --> 00:35:18,983
{\an1}We're not gonna be run out.
591
00:35:19,083 --> 00:35:21,028
{\an1}And that we're there just
like the tree planted by
592
00:35:21,052 --> 00:35:22,487
{\an1}the rivers of water.
593
00:35:22,587 --> 00:35:23,897
{\an1}BROWN: I only have
one more response.
594
00:35:23,921 --> 00:35:26,023
{\an1}INNIS: Whether, you know,
Mr. Jordan and the other
595
00:35:26,124 --> 00:35:27,525
assimilationists,
integrationists,
596
00:35:27,625 --> 00:35:31,929
{\an1}would be willing to refrain
from speaking exclusively for
597
00:35:32,029 --> 00:35:33,464
{\an1}the black community.
598
00:35:33,564 --> 00:35:37,235
{\an1}To recognize there are two
goals and agree for us to
599
00:35:37,335 --> 00:35:40,605
{\an1}function and possibly have
a peaceful coexistence to
600
00:35:40,705 --> 00:35:42,540
{\an1}reinforce each other's goals.
601
00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:45,877
{\an1}The problem is the
integrationists in conspiracy
602
00:35:45,977 --> 00:35:50,481
{\an7}to silence the true aspiration
and goal of most black people
603
00:35:50,982 --> 00:35:52,650
{\an7}which is that of
self-determination.
604
00:35:52,750 --> 00:35:55,453
{\an1}BROWN: Is there a common
ground then that anyone can
605
00:35:55,553 --> 00:35:57,722
{\an1}agree upon for the
advancement of all blacks?
606
00:35:57,822 --> 00:35:59,524
{\an1}CLAY: Yeah.
To get some power.
607
00:35:59,624 --> 00:36:02,093
{\an1}Uh, either we escape from
powerlessness and get power to
608
00:36:02,193 --> 00:36:03,594
{\an1}control our own destiny,
609
00:36:03,694 --> 00:36:06,230
{\an1}or we end up the
victims of genocide.
610
00:36:06,330 --> 00:36:08,490
{\an1}JORDAN: I think that that
would be a consensus theme if
611
00:36:08,566 --> 00:36:10,935
{\an1}that's possible, that, uh,
612
00:36:11,035 --> 00:36:13,538
{\an1}a goal of political and
economic empowerment on
613
00:36:13,638 --> 00:36:16,207
{\an1}the part of black
people is, is a, is a
614
00:36:16,307 --> 00:36:19,477
{\an1}desirable goal, and
hopefully an achievable one.
615
00:36:19,577 --> 00:36:21,179
{\an1}I think that the
difference comes...
616
00:36:21,279 --> 00:36:22,346
{\an1}MAN: How you get there...
617
00:36:22,446 --> 00:36:23,814
{\an1}JORDAN: How it relates to,
618
00:36:23,915 --> 00:36:25,583
as it relates to
how we get there
619
00:36:25,683 --> 00:36:27,127
{\an1}and the means by which
it ought to be achieved.
620
00:36:27,151 --> 00:36:28,419
{\an1}Black people have to say...
621
00:36:28,519 --> 00:36:30,464
{\an1}FAUNTROY: Whitney Young
and Vernon Jordan were very
622
00:36:30,488 --> 00:36:31,656
different people.
623
00:36:31,756 --> 00:36:35,059
{\an1}Vernon Jordan took the baton
and moved the Urban League
624
00:36:35,159 --> 00:36:39,964
{\an1}into new spaces in terms of
lobbying and in particular
625
00:36:40,364 --> 00:36:42,900
{\an1}interacting with
corporate America,
626
00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:45,736
and sitting on corporate boards.
627
00:36:46,904 --> 00:36:50,141
{\an1}GATES: Do you know how
hard it was for him to be the
628
00:36:50,241 --> 00:36:53,811
{\an1}first Negro to be
seated at those boards,
629
00:36:55,213 --> 00:36:58,950
{\an1}surrounded by people primarily
with Ivy League educations,
630
00:36:59,817 --> 00:37:03,020
{\an1}who didn't grow up
knowing any black people?
631
00:37:03,421 --> 00:37:05,990
{\an1}CLINTON: He wanted to know
how America worked and
632
00:37:06,090 --> 00:37:10,661
{\an1}how people that he thought
were otherwise decent people
633
00:37:10,761 --> 00:37:13,864
{\an1}could be supporting
politics and policies that
634
00:37:13,965 --> 00:37:15,466
{\an1}he deeply disagreed with,
635
00:37:15,566 --> 00:37:18,002
{\an1}and whether there were
some way to bridge the divide.
636
00:37:18,536 --> 00:37:21,372
{\an1}And he always tried to
find some way to do that.
637
00:37:22,073 --> 00:37:24,041
{\an1}BUFFETT: He has an
almost unique position,
638
00:37:24,141 --> 00:37:26,210
{\an1}because people talk to
him because he's smart,
639
00:37:26,310 --> 00:37:29,013
{\an7}but they talk to him even
more because he's wise.
640
00:37:29,814 --> 00:37:33,951
{\an7}If I ask Vernon for a
piece of advice, uh,
641
00:37:35,353 --> 00:37:37,355
{\an1}I'm going to get something
that's meaningful.
642
00:37:38,356 --> 00:37:42,193
{\an1}LEE: Vernon is a true
role model for all of us.
643
00:37:43,361 --> 00:37:46,163
{\an7}I think, if you are lucky enough
to have Vernon on your board,
644
00:37:46,264 --> 00:37:47,932
{\an1}he does talk to you about,
645
00:37:48,032 --> 00:37:51,502
{\an1}how do you promote young
executives of color.
646
00:37:51,602 --> 00:37:56,040
{\an1}And he's also, uh, been
the voice of reason or
647
00:37:56,140 --> 00:37:57,908
{\an1}conscience for presidents.
648
00:37:59,877 --> 00:38:02,313
{\an1}JORDAN: Presidential wall.
649
00:38:02,580 --> 00:38:05,850
{\an1}And every president since
Lyndon Johnson is here.
650
00:38:07,018 --> 00:38:08,986
{\an1}Here I am with Johnson.
651
00:38:09,353 --> 00:38:15,192
{\an1}President Nixon right after I
succeeded Whitney Young as the
652
00:38:15,293 --> 00:38:17,094
{\an1}head of the Urban League.
653
00:38:18,729 --> 00:38:21,132
{\an1}Well, we got along all right.
654
00:38:21,232 --> 00:38:23,634
{\an1}I said to him, "“You say
something I don't like,
655
00:38:23,734 --> 00:38:25,936
{\an1}I will tell you, publicly."”
656
00:38:26,037 --> 00:38:28,039
{\an1}And that was our deal.
657
00:38:29,173 --> 00:38:33,611
{\an1}Gerald Ford,
President Reagan, Bill Clinton.
658
00:38:34,812 --> 00:38:38,616
{\an1}And here I am with my
fellow Georgian, Jimmy Carter.
659
00:38:40,184 --> 00:38:44,655
{\an1}Jimmy Carter of Georgia came
to Urban League meetings
660
00:38:45,656 --> 00:38:50,561
{\an1}proudly wearing our
equality pin in his lapel.
661
00:38:51,162 --> 00:38:53,564
{\an1}In the short time he
has been President,
662
00:38:53,664 --> 00:38:59,837
{\an1}the sad fact is that the list
of what the administration has
663
00:39:00,338 --> 00:39:04,775
{\an1}not done far exceeds its
list of accomplishments.
664
00:39:06,177 --> 00:39:07,678
(applause).
665
00:39:07,778 --> 00:39:10,247
{\an1}Black people didn't
vote for Nixon,
666
00:39:10,348 --> 00:39:12,516
{\an1}and black people
didn't vote for Ford.
667
00:39:12,616 --> 00:39:14,218
(applause).
668
00:39:14,318 --> 00:39:16,887
{\an1}They voted, they
voted for Jimmy Carter,
669
00:39:16,987 --> 00:39:20,024
{\an1}and it is not enough
for President Carter to be
670
00:39:20,124 --> 00:39:23,227
{\an1}just a little bit better
than his predecessors.
671
00:39:23,694 --> 00:39:26,530
(applause).
672
00:39:28,899 --> 00:39:32,002
{\an1}Sometime in, uh, 1977,
673
00:39:32,103 --> 00:39:34,405
when I keynoted
the Urban League,
674
00:39:34,505 --> 00:39:35,573
{\an1}and he said to me,
675
00:39:35,673 --> 00:39:39,310
{\an1}"“You could have told me
that in, in the Oval."”
676
00:39:39,410 --> 00:39:41,645
{\an1}And I said, "“If you think that,
677
00:39:41,746 --> 00:39:45,015
{\an1}you don't understand
your job or mine."”
678
00:39:46,016 --> 00:39:48,486
{\an1}He understood, I think,
679
00:39:48,586 --> 00:39:52,957
{\an1}ultimately my role as an
advocate for black people.
680
00:39:54,725 --> 00:39:56,961
{\an1}Black people and the whole
process of desegregation and
681
00:39:57,061 --> 00:39:59,730
{\an1}integration are always
the ones that have to
682
00:39:59,830 --> 00:40:01,599
{\an1}give up something.
683
00:40:01,699 --> 00:40:04,568
{\an1}And, uh, I think that
black people generally
684
00:40:04,668 --> 00:40:05,803
{\an1}across this country,
685
00:40:05,903 --> 00:40:07,405
especially in the urban cities,
686
00:40:07,505 --> 00:40:10,141
{\an1}are a little weary of
having to give up for the,
687
00:40:10,241 --> 00:40:13,210
{\an1}for the comforts
of, of the majority.
688
00:40:13,310 --> 00:40:14,845
The true answer,
it seems to me...
689
00:40:14,945 --> 00:40:18,082
{\an1}ADAMS: I went with him on
several speaking engagements.
690
00:40:19,417 --> 00:40:21,552
{\an7}In each of those
cities he made very
691
00:40:21,652 --> 00:40:25,623
{\an7}strong arguments
about economic equality.
692
00:40:27,224 --> 00:40:29,193
{\an1}JORDAN: The lesson
here, my friends,
693
00:40:29,293 --> 00:40:32,229
{\an1}is that members of the white
business power structure
694
00:40:32,329 --> 00:40:34,632
{\an1}are bad politicians.
695
00:40:35,132 --> 00:40:37,368
{\an1}They fail to understand
that blacks will no
696
00:40:37,468 --> 00:40:40,771
{\an1}longer be junior partners
in the old alliance.
697
00:40:41,572 --> 00:40:43,040
Not only...
698
00:40:43,140 --> 00:40:44,842
{\an1}ADAMS: And he was strong.
699
00:40:44,942 --> 00:40:46,644
{\an1}His voice was strong,
and he was powerful,
700
00:40:46,744 --> 00:40:48,045
{\an1}and he was delivering.
701
00:40:48,145 --> 00:40:49,225
{\an1}I mean, he was bringin' it.
702
00:40:49,580 --> 00:40:51,091
{\an8}JORDAN: What you
have to understand, Mr. Hyde,
703
00:40:51,115 --> 00:40:56,253
{\an8}is, you see, I do
not trust white people in
704
00:40:56,353 --> 00:40:58,789
{\an7}the South with my rights.
705
00:40:59,590 --> 00:41:00,691
{\an1}Masses of black people...
706
00:41:00,791 --> 00:41:02,993
{\an1}ADAMS: But I said to him,
I sad, "“Dad, you know,
707
00:41:03,093 --> 00:41:05,563
{\an1}don't you get worried
saying stuff like this to
708
00:41:05,663 --> 00:41:07,898
{\an1}all these white people?"”
709
00:41:07,998 --> 00:41:09,834
{\an1}He said,
"“No. You gotta say it.
710
00:41:09,934 --> 00:41:12,303
{\an1}You gotta,
you gotta tell it."”
711
00:41:12,403 --> 00:41:13,437
{\an1}And I said, "“Wow."”
712
00:41:13,537 --> 00:41:14,939
{\an1}I mean, it's just, you know,
713
00:41:15,039 --> 00:41:17,842
{\an1}"“Don't you worry
somebody's gonna try
714
00:41:17,942 --> 00:41:19,510
to hurt you?"”
715
00:41:22,012 --> 00:41:23,514
{\an1}Two weeks later...
716
00:41:30,721 --> 00:41:32,523
{\an7}JORDAN: I did not know
what had happened.
717
00:41:32,623 --> 00:41:34,592
{\an8}I did not know why it happened.
718
00:41:34,959 --> 00:41:36,694
{\an7}When I was on the ground
719
00:41:37,761 --> 00:41:39,930
{\an1}bleeding, I was saying,
720
00:41:40,030 --> 00:41:42,900
{\an1}"“I have to be in
Houston tomorrow."”
721
00:41:43,968 --> 00:41:45,703
{\an1}I did not know that
722
00:41:45,803 --> 00:41:49,340
{\an1}I was not going to
Houston until I woke up
723
00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:51,976
{\an1}after the operation.
724
00:41:53,310 --> 00:41:55,779
{\an1}ADAMS: We got to the hospital.
725
00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:58,716
{\an1}He just had so many, uh,
726
00:41:58,816 --> 00:42:01,852
tubes and wires all around him.
727
00:42:01,952 --> 00:42:05,556
{\an1}But they let us go up and,
you know, touch his hand.
728
00:42:05,656 --> 00:42:08,993
{\an1}And I stroked his head
and told him I was there.
729
00:42:12,129 --> 00:42:16,467
{\an1}JORDAN: I did not know
what my future was.
730
00:42:17,668 --> 00:42:21,872
{\an1}And when I was in the
hospital for 98 days,
731
00:42:21,972 --> 00:42:24,275
{\an1}I was only thinking
about one thing,
732
00:42:24,575 --> 00:42:27,611
{\an1}"“What do I have to
do to get out of here?"”
733
00:42:32,950 --> 00:42:38,155
{\an1}CLINTON: In 1980 I lost
in the Reagan landslide.
734
00:42:39,390 --> 00:42:41,892
{\an1}It was a tough year for
me and, uh, Hillary,
735
00:42:41,992 --> 00:42:44,361
{\an1}and a much tougher
year for Vernon.
736
00:42:44,461 --> 00:42:46,630
{\an1}That's when he was shot.
737
00:42:46,730 --> 00:42:51,101
{\an1}Sometime in early 1981 he
called Hillary, and he said,
738
00:42:51,201 --> 00:42:54,071
{\an1}"“You got any
grits down there?"”
739
00:42:54,171 --> 00:42:56,373
(laughs).
740
00:42:56,473 --> 00:42:59,009
{\an1}And she said,
"“What do you mean?
741
00:42:59,109 --> 00:43:00,978
{\an1}Did you mean New York
or Washington?"”
742
00:43:01,078 --> 00:43:04,181
{\an1}She's, "“No. In Arkansas.
You got any grits?"”
743
00:43:04,281 --> 00:43:05,916
And he says,
"“I, I need some."”
744
00:43:06,016 --> 00:43:08,052
{\an1}She said, "“Well,
when do you want '‘em?"”
745
00:43:08,152 --> 00:43:10,688
{\an1}He said, "“How's
tomorrow mornin'?"”
746
00:43:10,788 --> 00:43:13,290
He flew all the way to Arkansas,
747
00:43:13,390 --> 00:43:18,028
{\an1}because I was the youngest
ex-governor in decades in
748
00:43:18,128 --> 00:43:19,630
American history.
749
00:43:19,730 --> 00:43:23,601
{\an1}And he didn't want
me to give up.
750
00:43:24,768 --> 00:43:26,737
It was like the,
751
00:43:28,739 --> 00:43:30,841
{\an1}"“Life for me ain't
been no crystal stairs,"”
752
00:43:30,941 --> 00:43:32,710
{\an1}like the old
Langston Hughes poem.
753
00:43:32,810 --> 00:43:34,278
{\an1}You know, it was the, he said,
754
00:43:34,378 --> 00:43:35,722
{\an1}"“It's just a
splinter on the stair."”
755
00:43:35,746 --> 00:43:38,916
{\an1}He said, "“You know, you gotta
keep climbing the stairs."”
756
00:43:51,228 --> 00:43:54,898
{\an1}JORDAN: We're here at Akin
Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld
757
00:43:56,333 --> 00:44:00,337
{\an1}where I have been a
senior partner, uh, since, um,
758
00:44:01,038 --> 00:44:03,407
{\an1}since January of 1982.
759
00:44:05,242 --> 00:44:07,044
{\an1}CHENAULT: The way I
think about it is,
760
00:44:07,144 --> 00:44:10,114
{\an1}Vernon was one of the first
crossover artists at that time,
761
00:44:10,714 --> 00:44:14,218
{\an7}someone moving from a
civil rights organization to a
762
00:44:14,318 --> 00:44:16,387
{\an7}corporate law firm.
763
00:44:16,487 --> 00:44:17,921
{\an7}That was a first.
764
00:44:19,023 --> 00:44:21,143
{\an1}MONROE: A lot of people
thought your decision to leave
765
00:44:21,225 --> 00:44:24,495
{\an1}the Urban League now was
deserting an important cause
766
00:44:24,595 --> 00:44:28,932
{\an1}just when it needed your type
of leadership, uh, the most.
767
00:44:29,466 --> 00:44:31,735
{\an1}What do you say to those
who think you're abandoning a
768
00:44:31,835 --> 00:44:34,004
{\an1}vital cause when you've
served all your adult life
769
00:44:34,104 --> 00:44:36,073
{\an1}in order to go make money?
770
00:44:36,173 --> 00:44:40,144
{\an1}JORDAN: Well, uh, go and
make money, that's, uh,
771
00:44:40,477 --> 00:44:42,079
{\an1}that's your own view of it.
772
00:44:42,179 --> 00:44:46,183
{\an1}Uh, I believe that ten
years is long enough in this
773
00:44:46,283 --> 00:44:48,285
{\an1}particular capacity.
774
00:44:48,385 --> 00:44:50,487
{\an1}Uh, I do not believe
that there is ever a
775
00:44:50,587 --> 00:44:52,222
{\an1}good time to leave.
776
00:44:52,322 --> 00:44:56,460
{\an1}Uh, nor do I believe that,
uh, any one individual is
777
00:44:57,061 --> 00:44:59,229
{\an1}absolutely indispensable
to progress.
778
00:45:00,097 --> 00:45:03,267
{\an1}So why do I, I do not
view my resignation, uh,
779
00:45:03,367 --> 00:45:04,935
as abandonment.
780
00:45:05,035 --> 00:45:09,206
{\an1}I view it as a refreshing
interlude for an institution,
781
00:45:09,306 --> 00:45:12,342
{\an1}uh, to get new leadership,
fresh leadership.
782
00:45:13,110 --> 00:45:15,245
{\an1}I also view it as a
professional and personal
783
00:45:15,345 --> 00:45:18,916
{\an1}opportunity for myself
to pursue a course of,
784
00:45:19,016 --> 00:45:22,186
{\an1}of work that is exciting,
785
00:45:22,286 --> 00:45:23,987
{\an1}that is
intellectually challenging,
786
00:45:24,088 --> 00:45:26,256
and that will be
rewarding to me.
787
00:45:27,424 --> 00:45:29,793
{\an1}GATES: We are all looking
this way for the revolution.
788
00:45:29,893 --> 00:45:32,029
{\an1}And Vernon is over here
in corporate America,
789
00:45:32,129 --> 00:45:33,931
{\an1}making the revolution.
790
00:45:34,231 --> 00:45:36,567
{\an1}CHENAULT: I believe his
movement to a corporate law
791
00:45:36,667 --> 00:45:39,837
{\an1}firm brought the civil rights
movement to the next level.
792
00:45:40,070 --> 00:45:43,040
{\an7}PIERCE: One of the factors
that I took into account when
793
00:45:43,140 --> 00:45:46,744
{\an7}I interviewed, um, with firms
was whether there was an
794
00:45:46,844 --> 00:45:49,880
{\an8}African American in the
firm that was of note.
795
00:45:51,181 --> 00:45:54,251
{\an1}Because I thought, just
like many people before me,
796
00:45:54,351 --> 00:45:57,020
{\an1}that I would stand on the
shoulders of that other
797
00:45:57,121 --> 00:45:59,723
{\an1}already successful individual.
798
00:45:59,823 --> 00:46:03,460
{\an1}Um, and this firm had Vernon.
799
00:46:04,628 --> 00:46:09,133
{\an1}If you think about what the
movement was about, equality,
800
00:46:09,233 --> 00:46:12,402
{\an1}equal opportunity, I look
at Vernon, and I think,
801
00:46:12,503 --> 00:46:15,205
{\an1}"“Boy, that's, that's
what we want to achieve."”
802
00:46:19,543 --> 00:46:22,412
{\an1}JORDAN: That have
been coming since 1982,
803
00:46:22,679 --> 00:46:25,916
{\an1}and I'm almost 83 years old.
804
00:46:26,517 --> 00:46:27,518
I like it.
805
00:46:27,618 --> 00:46:28,786
(laughs).
806
00:46:28,886 --> 00:46:30,187
It's very simple.
807
00:46:30,287 --> 00:46:33,023
{\an1}The thought of retirement
does not excite me.
808
00:46:36,326 --> 00:46:38,595
{\an1}MAN: Yeah I wish he'd slow down
a little bit, actually.
809
00:46:38,695 --> 00:46:40,364
(laughs).
810
00:46:40,664 --> 00:46:44,301
{\an1}I think his schedule and
his desire to keep at it
811
00:46:44,401 --> 00:46:46,970
{\an1}every day fuels him.
812
00:46:52,643 --> 00:46:55,012
{\an1}JORDAN: Diplomatic row here.
813
00:46:57,915 --> 00:47:00,918
{\an1}Now this street right
here to the left,
814
00:47:01,018 --> 00:47:04,988
{\an1}at the end of that street on
the right hand side is where
815
00:47:05,088 --> 00:47:07,090
{\an1}the Clinton's have a house.
816
00:47:11,295 --> 00:47:14,097
{\an1}Now this house right here,
817
00:47:14,198 --> 00:47:16,266
{\an1}that's where
Kelly Ann Conway lives.
818
00:47:16,366 --> 00:47:17,766
{\an1}WOMAN: Did she
come say "Hi" to you?
819
00:47:17,835 --> 00:47:19,835
{\an1}JORDAN: I welcomed her
to the neighborhood and said
820
00:47:19,903 --> 00:47:22,306
{\an1}"“hello" ” and all that.
821
00:47:29,479 --> 00:47:32,149
(fire crackles)
822
00:47:32,249 --> 00:47:36,820
{\an1}Sometimes when I'm sittin'
down here at the fire I think,
823
00:47:40,691 --> 00:47:43,861
{\an1}"“This is a long way
from University Homes."
824
00:47:45,462 --> 00:47:48,065
{\an1}The housing project
where I grew up.
825
00:47:48,298 --> 00:47:50,200
Long way.
826
00:48:04,248 --> 00:48:07,618
{\an1}JACOBS: Vernon joined
Lazard in January of 2000.
827
00:48:08,285 --> 00:48:11,488
{\an1}It was really fortunate,
because when Vernon arrived
828
00:48:11,588 --> 00:48:14,558
{\an1}the office that he took
was literally next to mine.
829
00:48:15,559 --> 00:48:18,929
{\an7}And I had the great
fortune of just being close
830
00:48:19,029 --> 00:48:20,664
{\an7}to him whenever he
was here which was
831
00:48:20,764 --> 00:48:22,566
{\an7}four days a week.
832
00:48:22,866 --> 00:48:24,268
{\an1}He kind of adopted me.
833
00:48:24,368 --> 00:48:27,070
{\an1}And he became a real
friend obviously, but also,
834
00:48:27,170 --> 00:48:28,915
{\an1}very importantly, a
mentor to me over that whole
835
00:48:28,939 --> 00:48:30,974
period of time.
836
00:48:31,708 --> 00:48:33,577
{\an1}JORDAN: There he is.
837
00:48:34,878 --> 00:48:37,414
{\an1}(overlapping chatter).
838
00:48:37,514 --> 00:48:38,782
MAN: Thank you.
839
00:48:38,882 --> 00:48:41,618
{\an1}JORDAN: This is what
it's all about here.
840
00:48:41,718 --> 00:48:42,953
{\an1}LEWIS: My assistant will say,
841
00:48:43,053 --> 00:48:44,821
{\an1}"“Vernon is
coming up to see you."”
842
00:48:44,922 --> 00:48:47,424
{\an1}Well, I know that will
mean fifteen minutes from now,
843
00:48:48,025 --> 00:48:51,762
{\an7}because Vernon will stop and
engage, uh, with everybody.
844
00:48:52,296 --> 00:48:55,565
{\an7}Vernon knows something about
almost everybody that he
845
00:48:55,666 --> 00:48:57,100
{\an8}passes in the halls.
846
00:48:57,734 --> 00:49:01,505
{\an1}And he has a word or
two to say to everybody.
847
00:49:02,072 --> 00:49:04,074
{\an1}MAN: The Washington Post
has that too.
848
00:49:04,574 --> 00:49:07,110
{\an1}KOOPERSMITH: I would not be
sitting in the chair as chair
849
00:49:07,210 --> 00:49:10,480
{\an7}of this law firm if it
was not for Vernon Jordan.
850
00:49:10,881 --> 00:49:13,617
{\an7}I mean, I have, uh, zero
doubt that his mentorship
851
00:49:13,717 --> 00:49:15,152
{\an7}is how I got here.
852
00:49:15,419 --> 00:49:18,388
{\an1}In 1981 there were
23,000 of us at the
853
00:49:18,488 --> 00:49:20,157
{\an1}Philadelphia Civic Center,
854
00:49:20,257 --> 00:49:22,125
{\an1}and he was my
commencement speaker when I
855
00:49:22,225 --> 00:49:24,962
{\an1}graduated from the
University of Pennsylvania.
856
00:49:25,062 --> 00:49:27,431
{\an1}And fast-forward
fifteen years later,
857
00:49:27,531 --> 00:49:30,267
{\an1}I joined Akin Gump and
attended my first partner
858
00:49:30,367 --> 00:49:33,170
{\an1}retreat, and saw
him across the room,
859
00:49:33,270 --> 00:49:34,938
{\an1}and walked straight
across and said,
860
00:49:35,038 --> 00:49:38,075
{\an1}"“Mr. Jordan, you will not
remember me from the 20,000,
861
00:49:38,175 --> 00:49:40,877
{\an1}23,000 people at the
Philadelphia Civic Center.
862
00:49:40,978 --> 00:49:43,380
{\an1}But I remember
every word you said."”
863
00:49:44,147 --> 00:49:45,649
{\an1}And Vernon being Vernon, said,
864
00:49:45,749 --> 00:49:48,385
{\an1}"“Young lady,
I don't know who you are.
865
00:49:48,485 --> 00:49:49,953
I don't know what your name is.
866
00:49:50,053 --> 00:49:52,189
{\an1}But you are my new best friend "”"
867
00:49:52,489 --> 00:49:54,057
And it was true.
868
00:49:54,157 --> 00:49:56,927
{\an1}He shepherded me
through that meeting,
869
00:49:57,027 --> 00:50:00,364
{\an1}introduced me to everyone
of importance at the firm,
870
00:50:00,464 --> 00:50:02,833
and here we are.
871
00:50:04,668 --> 00:50:08,305
{\an1}CHENAULT: I very proudly hold
myself out as a mentee of
872
00:50:08,405 --> 00:50:09,906
Vernon Jordan.
873
00:50:10,674 --> 00:50:14,578
{\an1}In 1984 Vernon was on
the board of directors
874
00:50:14,678 --> 00:50:16,313
{\an1}at American Express,
875
00:50:16,413 --> 00:50:19,916
{\an1}and evidently my name
came up at the board meeting
876
00:50:20,017 --> 00:50:23,520
{\an1}as someone who
had very high potential.
877
00:50:23,620 --> 00:50:27,024
{\an1}And so Vernon
called me and said,
878
00:50:27,124 --> 00:50:30,027
{\an1}"“Ken, this is Vernon Jordan."”
879
00:50:30,861 --> 00:50:33,363
{\an1}And he asked me if
I would come to breakfast.
880
00:50:33,463 --> 00:50:36,733
{\an1}And the breakfast,
it lasted for five hours.
881
00:50:37,501 --> 00:50:40,871
{\an1}And he talked to me
about my aspirations,
882
00:50:40,971 --> 00:50:43,907
{\an1}but he also told me his story.
883
00:50:44,307 --> 00:50:48,478
{\an1}And it was wonderful and
certainly my journey in the
884
00:50:48,578 --> 00:50:53,050
{\an1}corporate world I
encountered prejudice,
885
00:50:55,118 --> 00:50:58,488
{\an1}and I encountered skepticism
and whether I belonged.
886
00:51:00,023 --> 00:51:06,129
{\an1}But I think the mentality
that I had was very much a
887
00:51:06,229 --> 00:51:10,467
{\an1}mentality that I had
a right to be there.
888
00:51:11,301 --> 00:51:15,705
{\an1}And I was going to push
forward and deal with
889
00:51:15,806 --> 00:51:19,609
{\an1}obstacles because of leaders
like Vernon Jordan who had
890
00:51:19,709 --> 00:51:23,013
{\an1}demonstrated throughout
their life that obstacles were
891
00:51:23,113 --> 00:51:24,848
to be overcome.
892
00:51:27,751 --> 00:51:31,388
{\an1}JORDAN: The feeling is,
I had a lot of help.
893
00:51:31,488 --> 00:51:35,325
{\an1}And so I'm here to
help others if I can.
894
00:51:40,063 --> 00:51:42,466
{\an1}CLINTON: I never saw
him turn down an opportunity
895
00:51:42,566 --> 00:51:45,602
{\an1}to try to help a
young person who needed help,
896
00:51:46,236 --> 00:51:49,139
{\an1}including to give good advice.
897
00:51:49,239 --> 00:51:50,507
So there are,
898
00:51:50,607 --> 00:51:52,609
{\an1}quite apart from
all these jobs he's held and
899
00:51:52,709 --> 00:51:54,444
{\an1}all these board
positions he's held and all
900
00:51:54,544 --> 00:51:56,646
{\an1}these things he's done,
901
00:51:56,746 --> 00:51:59,683
{\an1}and the fact that he
was very close to me,
902
00:51:59,783 --> 00:52:02,419
{\an1}so close that he turned
down my plea to him
903
00:52:02,519 --> 00:52:05,222
{\an1}to become attorney general.
904
00:52:05,322 --> 00:52:06,732
{\an1}I said, "“Vern, you
can become the first
905
00:52:06,756 --> 00:52:07,824
{\an1}black attorney general."”
906
00:52:07,924 --> 00:52:09,226
{\an1}He said, "“Yeah." ” He said,
907
00:52:09,326 --> 00:52:12,295
{\an1}"“And I know exactly what
the job is."” And he said,
908
00:52:13,330 --> 00:52:15,499
{\an1}"“What else, what's gonna
happen when you need somebody
909
00:52:15,599 --> 00:52:17,400
{\an1}to just talk to you?"”
910
00:52:17,501 --> 00:52:20,504
{\an1}And he said, "“I, I don't
want to be in the government.
911
00:52:20,604 --> 00:52:22,539
{\an1}I want to be your friend."”
912
00:52:24,374 --> 00:52:28,145
{\an1}JORDAN: When I testified
in the impeachment trial
913
00:52:28,245 --> 00:52:30,046
of Bill Clinton,
914
00:52:30,147 --> 00:52:34,117
{\an1}my testimony was not
put in the record,
915
00:52:34,417 --> 00:52:37,754
{\an1}because the Republicans
kept it out.
916
00:52:38,522 --> 00:52:42,893
{\an1}And here is my testimony
that I have framed.
917
00:52:44,794 --> 00:52:50,967
{\an1}"“What was taught to be by my
mother is that the only thing
918
00:52:51,067 --> 00:52:56,940
{\an1}that I own totally and
completely is my integrity.
919
00:52:58,808 --> 00:53:03,313
{\an1}And my integrity has
been on trial here.
920
00:53:03,547 --> 00:53:06,183
{\an1}The President is my friend.
921
00:53:06,283 --> 00:53:09,152
{\an1}He was before this happened.
922
00:53:09,252 --> 00:53:13,690
{\an1}He is now, and he will
be when this is over."”
923
00:53:15,692 --> 00:53:19,229
{\an1}CLINTON: He's a fast friend.
924
00:53:19,329 --> 00:53:25,135
{\an1}He doesn't quit
on people that he loves,
925
00:53:25,569 --> 00:53:28,305
{\an1}even if they fail.
926
00:53:29,573 --> 00:53:31,508
{\an1}MAN: Do I put the
syrup in the fridge?
927
00:53:31,608 --> 00:53:33,443
{\an1}WOMAN: Huh, just put it there.
928
00:53:33,543 --> 00:53:35,378
MAN: Okay.
929
00:53:35,812 --> 00:53:38,615
(phone ringing)
930
00:53:39,482 --> 00:53:41,585
JORDAN: Hello...
931
00:53:41,851 --> 00:53:43,753
{\an1}What do you got to tell me?
932
00:53:45,855 --> 00:53:47,457
{\an1}Do you have a
telephone number for
933
00:53:47,557 --> 00:53:49,793
{\an1}the Paris ambassador?
934
00:53:51,494 --> 00:53:55,599
{\an7}Yeah, well, I'll have
Doug handle that.
935
00:53:56,766 --> 00:53:59,135
{\an7}WOMAN: Uh, what do you have?
936
00:53:59,236 --> 00:54:02,005
{\an7}MAN: Some railroads, money.
How's that?
937
00:54:02,439 --> 00:54:04,674
{\an8}WOMAN: I'll get
you a Monopoly...
938
00:54:07,577 --> 00:54:09,212
JORDAN: I've been
here twenty years.
939
00:54:09,312 --> 00:54:11,748
I don't own it.
I rent it.
940
00:54:11,848 --> 00:54:15,185
I think you only own one house.
941
00:54:15,285 --> 00:54:19,756
{\an1}And if the pipes burst in
January, it's not my problem.
942
00:54:20,590 --> 00:54:22,692
(laughs).
943
00:54:22,993 --> 00:54:26,029
{\an1}That's right.
It's not my problem.
944
00:54:27,597 --> 00:54:33,203
{\an1}I know that I have been
blessed with extraordinary
945
00:54:33,303 --> 00:54:36,306
{\an1}mentors in my career.
946
00:54:36,806 --> 00:54:38,908
Hey, how are you?
947
00:54:39,809 --> 00:54:43,747
{\an1}I am also very
certain that there is
948
00:54:45,782 --> 00:54:50,186
{\an1}no substitute for a
commitment to excellence,
949
00:54:53,290 --> 00:54:56,860
{\an1}hard work, and sacrifice.
950
00:54:59,896 --> 00:55:04,301
{\an1}I'm pretty sure
that that is, in part,
951
00:55:05,835 --> 00:55:09,072
{\an1}the explanation for
whatever I may have achieved.
952
00:55:09,439 --> 00:55:11,641
{\an1}But I didn't get here by myself.
953
00:55:14,577 --> 00:55:19,883
♪
954
00:55:21,217 --> 00:55:22,497
{\an7}NARRATOR: If you
missed a moment,
955
00:55:22,552 --> 00:55:24,454
{\an7}you can watch this
film online and learn more
956
00:55:24,554 --> 00:55:28,591
{\an7}about Vernon Jordan by visiting
PBS.org/vernonjordan.
957
00:55:29,159 --> 00:55:30,694
{\an7}And join the
conversation online with
958
00:55:30,794 --> 00:55:33,596
{\an7}#VernonJordanPBS.
959
00:55:45,308 --> 00:55:47,253
{\an1}NARRATOR: Funding for
"Vernon Jordan: Make it Plain"
960
00:55:47,277 --> 00:55:50,180
{\an7}was provided by Ford Foundation
Just Films.
961
00:55:51,081 --> 00:55:53,450
{\an7}And by the
Andrew W. Mellon foundation.
962
00:55:58,221 --> 00:56:00,223
{\an1}NARRATOR: You're watching PBS.