New documentary captures life of slain KC civil rights leader, Leon Jordan

Leon Jordan is one of the civil rights leaders in Kansas City who unified the African American community to gain political strength to oppose segregation and push for fair housing laws.

TONIGHT WE GO IN-DEPTHON A FORMER KANSASCITY CIVIL RIGHTSCHAMPION IN THE AFRICANAMERICAN COMMUNITY.HE PAID THE ULTIMATEPRICE - FIGHTING FOREQUALITY AND JUSTICE.50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK- LEON JORDAN WASASSASSINATED.HIS LIFE-STORY ISREVEALED IN A NEWDOCUMENTARY ALSOBEING RELEASED THISWEEK.AS 41 ACTION NEWSANCHOR CYNTHIANEWSOME EXPLAINS -MANY PEOPLE HAVENEVER HEARD OF LEONJORDAN.THAT'S TRUE AND PEOPLEWHO DON'T KNOW--- AREMISSING-OUT ON ANINSPIRING PART OFKANSAS CITY'S HISTORY.FOR THE FIRST TIME -SOME AFRICAN AMERICANSARE LEARNING ABOUT AKEY PLAYER WHO MADETHE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE."On July 15, 1970 LeonMercer Jordan was shot andkilled in front of his nightclub,The Green Duck Tavern.THIS LARGER THAN LIFESTATUE OF LEON JORDANIS IN A BEAUTIFUL, SERENESETTING AT 31ST ANDBENTON IN KANSAS CITY,,,A STARK CONTRASTTO THE UGLY ,OPPRESSIVE ERA OFSEGREGATION JORDANAND KANSAS CITY'SAFRICAN AMERICACOMMUNITY CONFRONTEDIN THE 40's and 50's ---CONFRONTATIONS WITHEXHILIRATING VICTORIESAND ... A DEVESTATINGLOSS.Emiel Cleaver,Producer/Director,"Legacy of Leadership""The night it happened he wasclosing the nightclub up andhis security guard was actuallystill inside.

He locked him in;and then like I said, as hewalked out to his car, anothercar pulled up, pulled out ashotgun, and shot him."NOW 50 YEARS AFTERLEON JORDAN'S DEATH,HIS STORY IS BEINGRESURRECTED......IN A DOCUMENTARYKANSAS CITY'S EMIELCLEAVER PRODUCED ANDDIRECTED CALLED:LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP.Emiel Cleaver,Producer/Director,"Legacy of Leadership""What goes through my mindis what a giant he was."THIS POLITICAL GIANT,BORN AND RAISED INKANSAS CITY, WAS DRIVENBY HIS PASSION TOBREAK-DOWN BARRIERSSO AFRICAN AMERICANSCOULD HAVE EQUALOPPORTUNITY FOR JOBS,HOUSING EDUCATION ANDENTERTAINMENT.JORDAN CONVINCEDOTHER CIVIL RIGHTSACTIVISTS INCLUDINGBRUCE WATKINS TO FORM..

A KANSAS CITYPOLITICAL ACTIONORGANIZATION: FREEDOMINC.EMIEL CLEAVER PLAYS THEROLE OF JORDAN DURINGREENACTMENTS IN THEDOCUMENTARY.Emiel Cleaver,Producer/Director,"Legacy of Leadership""Leon Jordan was aboutunifying becuse he unified apolitical organization withpeople who were democrats,republicans, people who ranagainst him."JORDAN WAS ELECTEDCOMMITTEEMAN INKANSAS CITY AND SERVEDTHREE TERMS IN THEMISSOURI HOUSE OFREPRESENTATIVES.IN THE HAY-DAY OFFREEDOM INC, A YOUNGMAN NAMED, JAMESTINDALL - NOW BISHOPTINDALL -- WATCHEDJORDAN AND FREEDOMINC.

BECOME A POLITICALSUPER-POWER FORAFRICAN AMERICANSWAGING-WAR AGAINSTSEGREGATION.Bishop "James Tindall, BoardMember, Freedom Inc.'And these men said no, wedeserve to be able to eat in arestaurant to go to a movietheater, to ride on the bus justlike anybody else."Bishop James Tindall, BoardMember, Freedom Inc."They set out to make adifference.

We can neverforget those who made itpossible for us to be where weare today."FROM HIS ASSENT TOPOWER...TO HIS SHOCKINGASSASSINATION, LEONJORDAN'S LIFE-STORY IS--A LEGACY OF ALEADERSHIP.41 ACTION NEWS ISHOSTING A FREE, FACE-BOOK LIVE PREMIER OFTHE, LEGACY OFLEADERSHIP,DOCUMENTARY ON LEONJORDAN.IT'S HAPPENINGWEDNESDAY NIGHT, 8O'CLOCK -- ON OUR KSHBFACEBOOK PAGE.AFTER THE DOCUMENTARY- I'LL LEAD A DISCUSSIONWITH THE DOCUMENTARYDIRECTOR AND CIVILRIGHTS LEADERS INKANSAS CITY ABOUT WHATWE CAN LEARN FROMLEON JORDAN'S LIFE .CYNTHIA NEWSOME, 41ACTION NEWS.