Vernon Jordan, activist who advised former President Clinton, has died

Vernon Jordan, who rose from humble beginnings in the segregated South to become a champion of civil rights before reinventing himself as a Washington insider and corporate influencer, has died, according to a statement from his daughter. He was 85.

“My father passed away last night around 10p surrounded by loved ones his wife and daughter by his side,” his daughter, Vickee Jordan Adams, said in a statement to CBS News. “We appreciate everyone’s thoughtfulness and prayers.”

In this November 27, 2006 file photo, Vernon Jordan walks outside the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.  Lawrence Jackson/AP

After stints as field secretary for the Georgia NAACP and executive director of the United Negro College Fund, he became head of the National Urban League, becoming the face of black America’s modern struggle for jobs and justice for more than a decade. He was nearly killed by a racist’s bullet in 1980 before transitioning to business and politics.

His friendship with Bill Clinton took them both to the White House. Jordan was an unofficial Clinton aide, drawing him into controversy during the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

“The nation has lost one of its greatest champions of racial and economic justice,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said in a statement  “He was a transformational leader who brought the movement into a new era. He was a personal mentor and dear friend. His passing leaves a tremendous void that can never be filled.”

The NAACP said Jordan’s “exemplary life will shine as a guiding light for all that seek truth and justice for all people.”