Dr. Eugene Jordan was many things in his life which ended, sadly, in 2020 at the age of 83. He served the communities of Cleveland and East Cleveland by providing quality, professional dental services to those who couldn’t afford care. Dr. Jordan was well-respected and served as the 69th president of the National Dental Association
He and his siblings were raised in Columbus by their widower father who was a maintenance worker for the City of Columbus. He attended the Ohio State University and graduated from Capital University in Columbus with an undergraduate degree in biology.
After a stint with the Army Medical Corps, he worked his way through Howard University Dental School leading to his dental practice.
But his contributions to the community go far beyond his dental services. He was also a beloved civil and human rights activist and Black History historian.
Dr. Jordan was a loyal and lifelong member of the NAACP where he served 20 years on the executive board of the Cleveland chapter. He worked with the NAACP and helped establish Juneteenth and Black History celebrations in Northeast Ohio.
at Phase 1 of the African-American Cultural Garden
He was vice president of the African-American Cultural Garden in Cleveland and led the activist group the Underground Railroad. He marched in the Cleveland Umoja Parades. He was a mainstay at the annual Black History Month Flag Raising ceremony at Cleveland City Hall where he spoke about the ancestors who brought him to that point and the young people who would take the next steps.
When very few people outside of Texas and Oklahoma had ever heard of Juneteenth, Dr. Jordan (along with Khalid Samad, Carl Ewing and a few others) told the story and pushed for its celebration. Now Juenteenth is a federal holiday.
Dr. Jordan is survived by his second wife, Bernice Jordan, three grown children, Dr. Joy Jordan of East Cleveland and Dr. Martin Jordan of Cleveland, both of them dentists like their father, Dr. Michael Jordan of Phoenix, Arizona, a psychiatrist, and three grandchildren, Mica, Mariah, and Michael Eugene Jordan.
Dr. Eugene Jordan loved the people of his community and brought them tangible (dentistry) and intangible (education, pride) services. Rest in Peace Dr. Jordan.
Dr. Eugene Jordan will be inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame 2024 Class by Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr.