Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Sid Salter: Historian Dan Jordan Left Nationally Renown Legacy at Monticello

Daniel Porter Jordan Jr.’s passing was noted in many of the nation’s leading newspapers, including The Washington Post. Jordan, one of America’s most distinguished and respected historians, died March 21 of a heart attack was 85.

Jordan’s life was a series of noteworthy achievements, beginning in his hometown of Philadelphia, Mississippi, and continuing throughout his productive life. He was the son of Philadelphia dentist Dr. Daniel Porter Jordan Sr. and Mildred Dobbs Jordan, a homemaker.

After a stellar academic and athletic career first at Philadelphia High School and later at Ole Miss, the then 22-year-old U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Jordan was awarded the 1960 Neshoba County Youth Achievement Award at the racetrack grandstand at the Neshoba County Fair – an institution in which the Jordan family was active all of his life. At that juncture in his life, Jordan had already earned an undergraduate degree in History and English at Ole Miss, earned letters in varsity basketball and baseball, and served as president of the student body. Jordan won additional individual honors in sports, ROTC and honorary and social fraternities.

Jordan would go on to earn a master’s degree in history from Ole Miss in 1962 and later a Ph.D. in history in 1970 from the University of Virginia. He fulfilled his military obligations as an Army infantryman in South Korea and Western Europe.

For more than a decade after earning his doctorate, Jordan taught history at Virginia Commonwealth University. There, he authored or edited several scholarly books including “Political Leadership in Jefferson’s Virginia” in 1983.

In 1985, Jordan was invited to join the staff at Thomas Jefferson’s plantation home Monticello as director of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. He would serve and grow Monticello from 1985 until his retirement as president and CEO in 2008.

The Washington Post obituary on Jordan included this high praise, calling him a “historian who guided Monticello into the 21st century, safeguarding…Jefferson’s mountaintop plantation while broadening its educational programs to encompass discussions of slavery and race” and quoted Monticello’s current leader Jane Kamensky as calling Jordan “the most consequential president on the Mountaintop since Jefferson himself.”

During Jordan’s higher education years, his hometown of Philadelphia was the scene of a notorious civil rights atrocity in 1964 in which three civil rights workers were murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. Yet Jordan steadfastly embraced his Mississippi roots, returning to the Neshoba County Fair and the family cabin on Founder’s Square. The Post’s Harrison Smith reported the story of Jordan’s pride in his Mississippi roots: “With the help of the ticket office, he set up ‘Magnolia Alert’ so that he could offer an effusive hello to anyone who visited with a Mississippi license plate.”

Jordan’s sojourns to Mississippi for the Neshoba County Fair encompassed his family’s long association with an event called the “A.J. Yates Jr. Memorial Late Night Sing” that veteran fairgoers enjoy. The event gives fairgoers a chance to gather and sing old campground songs and hymns with the accompaniment of a pianist.

Dan Jordan was a grand nephew of the late A.J. Yates, who founded the Sing officially in 1963. His late mother, Mrs. Mildred Dobbs Jordan, was one of the lead pianists, and his brother Dr. Joe Jordan, is one of the current chairpersons.

From that background, Dan Jordan was confronted with the decision as the leader of Monticello of the controversy over 1998 DNA testing that strongly suggested that slave Sally Hemmings had borne Jefferson several children while enslaved.

Jordan said at a press conference: “Slavery and race are uncomfortable subjects for many Americans, but they are in the mainstream of our interpretations at Monticello today precisely because they are part of the Monticello story.”

Philadelphia and Neshoba County has long lived with the brutal infamy of the Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney murders in 1964 in our midst – and should. But it is also important to note that the county was likewise the cradle of people of great intelligence, fairness and decency on questions of race, dignity and fairness – people like historian Dan Jordan.

Sid Salter is a syndicated columnist. Contact him at sidsalter@sidsalter.com.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Truly an amazing Mississippian! The Post article on Prof. Jordan is well written and captures Jordan’s leadership, vision and service.

Sid finally writes a column that properly calls attention to a good man and captures the best of Mississippi.

Bill Dees said...

His son, Chief US District Judge Dan Jordan, is one of the finest men I've ever had the privilege to work with. His life is a wonderful tribute to his father's life, and his life's work.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.