June Jordan – Barnard College ’57
For International Women’s History Day, we honor the inspiring life and work of June Jordan (1936-2002), Barnard College 1957, a prolific and influential writer, activist, and educator who devoted her life to advocating for social justice and human rights.
Born in Harlem in 1936, the poverty and racism June Jordan experienced growing up, motivated her to become a vocal and passionate advocate for social justice throughout her life.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Barnard and a master’s degree in English from the University of Chicago, Jordan embarked on her career as an educator and writer.
She taught at a number of universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where she was a professor of African American Studies. Believing strongly in the power of education to effect social change, Jordan worked tirelessly to empower her students and help them find their voices.
Jordan published numerous volumes of poetry, essays, and plays addressing a range of social and political issues, from race and gender to war and imperialism. Deeply rooted in her own experiences as a black woman in America, her powerful and evocative writing captured the complexities of the human experience. Her poetry, often deeply personal, explored themes of love, loss, and identity, while her essays and speeches were incisive and analytical, dissecting issues of power and oppression with precision and clarity.
Throughout her career, Jordan was a passionate advocate for social justice and human rights, working tirelessly to support a range of causes and organizations. She was a vocal critic of the Vietnam War, a strong advocate for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and a champion of feminist causes.
Jordan believed women should have the right to make their own choices about their bodies and their lives. In her writings and speeches, she spoke against the stigma surrounding women’s reproductive health and raised awareness about the importance to women’ freedom of comprehensive sex education and access to contraception. A strong supporter of abortion rights, she believed access to safe and legal abortions was essential for women to have control over their own bodies and lives.
Believing it vital that women’s experiences be centered in all aspects of society, from politics to literature to art, she worked to uplift the voices of women, particularly women of color, and fought against the ways in which patriarchy and sexism negatively impact women’s lives.
Today, Jordan’s legacy continues to inspire countless individuals around the world. Her writing and activism continue to be celebrated and studied, and her commitment to social justice and human rights remains an inspiration to all who strive for a more just and equitable world.
BC Voices, like June Jordan, amplifies American women’s fight for economic, political and social power, historically and today! In Stand UP, Speak OUT, Episode 3: Reproductive Rights, women tell their stories about having, or, not having reproductive control in their lives. Be sure to click the link to hear them speak frankly about their experiences with sterilization, birth control, abortion, and family planning.