Delivered a nationally televised constitutional opening statement during the House Judiciary Committee's Nixon impeachment hearings on July 25, 1974.
On July 25, 1974, Congresswoman Barbara Jordan delivered a powerful, nationally televised opening statement during the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment hearings regarding President Richard Nixon's conduct in the Watergate scandal.
Speaking with her characteristic deep, deliberate cadence, Jordan opened with the now-famous declaration: "My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total." She went on to methodically lay out the constitutional basis and historical precedent for impeachment, invoking the framers' intent and emphasizing that as a Black woman, she had once been excluded from the Constitution's protections, but that through amendment and progress, she now stood as an equal participant in its defense.
The speech was immediately recognized as one of the most significant political orations of the twentieth century. It was broadcast live to millions of Americans and was widely credited with shifting public and congressional opinion toward the seriousness of Nixon's impeachable offenses, contributing to his resignation just weeks later, on August 8, 1974.
The address cemented Jordan's reputation as a defender of constitutional integrity and elevated her to national prominence. It remains frequently cited in American civics education and is regarded as a masterclass in political rhetoric, reflecting both her legal training and her deep personal commitment to the ideals of American democracy.