Text of a speech given by Barbara C. Jordan, accepting the Bess Wallace Truman Award, and speaking of the meaning of the award through the years.

Photograph of Barbara Jordan speaking at a campaign event for Bill Clay's congressional District 1 bid. She is speaking to a small room of men and women, wearing a blue dress,and sitting in a wheelchair..

Letter from Maurine to Barbara Jordan thanking her for coming to St. Louis and saying that everyone was inspired by her message. She mentions that there are enclosed photos taken during Jordan's time there.

Photograph of Barbara Jordan being given an honorary degree from the University of Missouri. She is sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a dark-colored graduation gown and a dark-colored cap. She is being presented the degree by a faculty member of the University of Missouri in a dark-colored cap and gown.

Photograph of Barbara Jordan sitting in a wheelchair at the University of Missouri commencement ceremony. She is wearing a dark-colored graduation gown and a dark-colored cap, and with two faculty member of the University of Missouri, one in a dark-colored cap and gown, and the other in a red cap and dark-colored graduation gown.

Photograph of Barbara Jordan sitting in a wheelchair at the University of Missouri commencement ceremony. She is wearing a dark-colored graduation gown and a dark-colored cap, and with two faculty member of the University of Missouri, one in a dark-colored cap and gown, and the other in a red cap and dark-colored graduation gown.

Depression is an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Altered autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, a common feature of depression, is also a risk factor for cardiac events in patients with CAD. Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects ANS activity, and reduced HRV predicts morbidity in cardiac populations. The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences in HRV exist between depressed and nondepressed patients with CAD. Twenty-one depressed inpatients, with angiographically documented CAD were retrospectively matched to 21 nondepressed CAD patients by sex, age, and smoking status. Demographic, medical, psychological interview data, and 24-hour ECG recordings were obtained. Depressed subjects had significantly lower HRV, or trends toward lower HRV, than nondepressed subjects, even after controlling for severity of CAD. Subject groups did not differ on left ventricular ejection fraction, history of myocardial infarction, or any other relevant medical variable assessed. These results suggest that depression is associated with decreased HRV in patients with CAD, and may help to explain the increased rates of cardiac events observed in CAD patients with depression.