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Celebrate a Legacy
In
1982, the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities
established a series of annual awards recognizing outstanding
contributions from media professionals, students, and organizations to
encourage accurate, respectful, and progressive portrayals of people
with disabilities. At the suggestion of media advisers, the awards were named
for Barbara Jordan, one of Texas’ most distinguished citizens and
foremost spokespersons for civil liberties. Each year the decisions for the
judges become more and more difficult as the volume of quality entries
increases. To be eligible, entries must have been produced and offered
to the public during the calendar year before the awards are presented. A
panel of judges, including media professionals and people familiar with
disability issues, score the entries to determine winners in several
categories, including television, print, internet, photojournalism,
radio, student, and published books.
About Barbara Jordan
Barbara Jordan was a Houston native and U.S. congresswoman known for
her powerful oration. From her first days in Congress, she encouraged
colleagues to extend the federal protection of civil rights to more
Americans and dedicated herself to breaking barriers and building
bridges. In 1990, she was named to the National Women’s Hall of Fame
and in 1994 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s
highest award to a civilian. Barbara Jordan passed away in 1996. |
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