Funeral service held for late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
DALLAS - Hundreds of people are gathered in Dallas on Tuesday to bid a final farewell to a civic icon.
The funeral for Eddie Bernice Johnson was at the Concord Church in the Red Bird area on Tuesday.
Johnson was described as a trailblazer and a gentle giant by those who knew her.
"We are thankful she stood up, we are thankful she showed up and America is better because of EBJ," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-U.S. House Minority Leader.
Johnson, who served 30 years in Congress, achieved a lot of firsts.
She was the first Black woman elected to public office in Dallas, breaking barriers in the Texas House and Senate.
EBJ, as she was affectionately called, was also the first registered nurse to serve in Congress.
"She was first, because she was always willing to do the hard work and she was always prepared," said Lucy Baines Johnson, the daughter of former president Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Elected officials from the White House to Congress, statewide and locally, expressed their gratitude at her funeral Tuesday.
"She was always fighting for the people of Dallas, Texas and the people of America," said Vice President Kamala Harris in a pre-recorded statement.
"She was one of a kind, we will miss her and we will love her," said former president Bill Clinton in a taped message.
Those who spoke about the late congresswoman talked about her strength and her dedication to North Texas and the country.
"If Eddie Bernice was on your side, you knew you could stand straighter, that your path was clear," said former congresswoman and current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge.
"The lioness of this city in our political world, in our Black community," said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.
Eddie Bernice Johnson was a matriarch in her own family, with grandchildren and multiple great-grandchildren.
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Many leaders say she was a mother figure to them as well.
"We had an argument as to if Eddie adopted us or did we adopt her," said former Dallas mayor Ronald Kirk.
Johnson was the first Black woman to chair the science and tech committee in Congress.
She was also instrumental in helping DART become the largest light rail transit system in the country.
A Dallas ISD STEM academy is also named in her honor.
"I have felt blessed to have shared her with you," said Johnson's son, Kirk.
Kirk Johnson said his mother believed in treating everyone with respect.
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"Yes, her death was untimely and unnecessary, but God knows best. He chose to take her on 1-2-3, 1-2-3 [December 31, 2023]. There will never be another 1-2-3, 1-2-3. She was unique, she was special," said Johnson.
From the White House to the State capitol. From Dallas to cities across the country, each eulogy described Johnson's impact.
"She was one of one, there will never be another EBJ. There will never be another EBJ. We love you, Granny," said Kirk Johnson Jr.
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Johnson will be laid to rest Wednesday afternoon at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.