Jean Gordon began her activist career in 1958 when she joined with other prominent white women to form the Women’s Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools, which opposed Governor Orval Faubus and segregationists on the Little Rock school board who were trying to prevent racial integration of the schools.
In 1970, she was a part of the creation of ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) that advocated for low- and moderate-income people with voter registration drives and promoted action on issues such as neighborhood safety, health care, education, and affordable housing. It grew to have more than half a million members in over 100 cities in the United States, as well as chapters in several other countries.
Jean founded the Arkansas chapter of WAND in 1997. She has served as secretary, treasurer, and president of the board of directors. We are so happy to have her still as an active board member, whose dedication to peace and social justice is strong to this day.