"I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in "We, the people.""
- Barbara Jordan
About this Quote
This quote by Barbara Jordan speaks with the battle of African Americans to get acknowledgment and rights in the United States. Jordan is describing the reality that the initial Constitution did not consist of African Americans as citizens, and that it took a long period of time for them to be consisted of in the phrase "We, the people." Jordan is expressing her sensations of exemption and her joy at finally being included in the phrase. This quote talks to the power of the Constitution and the legal system to make changes and to recognize the rights of all citizens. Jordan's words are a pointer of the significance of the Constitution and the legal system in safeguarding the rights of all residents.
About the Author