Jordan, Vernon, Jr.

Jordan, Vernon (Eulion), Jr.

(1935– ) civil rights leader; born in Atlanta, Ga. One of the most visible and influential civil rights activists, he was director of the Voter Education Project of the Southern Regional Council (1964–68) and executive director of the United Negro College Fund (1970). As executive director of the Urban League (1971–81), he forged links between the black community and the Nixon and Carter White Houses, pushed voter registration, a full employment plan, and school desegregration, and strengthened the League's traditional social service role. Although he fully recovered from a sniper attack (1980), he left the League to practice law and served on a number of major corporate boards. He played an important role as a member of President-elect Clinton's transition team (1992).