Civil rights activist and political advisor Vernon Jordan died on Mar. 1. He was 85 years old. Jordan passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family after having his signature dinner and dessert.

“It was just the way he would have wanted it,” said Jordan’s niece Ann Walker, “We appreciate all of the outpourings of love and affection.”

The cause of death has not been released.

Vernon Jordan was born on Aug. 15 1935, in Atlanta, GA. He graduated from David T. Howard high school with honors and attended DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, where he was the only black student out of the 400 students in the class. After his second term of school, Jordan was rejected for a summer internship with an insurance company because of his race. Instead, he went on to earn money by working for a banker and as a chauffeur for former Atlanta mayor Robert Maddox. He later attended Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. and earned his J.D. degree.

Following law school, Jordan came back to Atlanta to join the law office of civil rights activist Donald L. Hollowell. The first prominent case Jordan helped worked on was the lawsuit against the University of Georgia for racial discrimination in the admissions department. The firm won the suit, and the two African American students were permitted to attend the University. Jordan even heroically escorted the students past a group of angry protesters to the University himself.

The Atlanta native was an icon in the civil rights movement. Having grown up in the Jim Crow South, Jordan experienced immense segregation first-hand. He became more involved in civil rights activism by serving as the Georgia field director for the NAACP in 1962, executive director of the United College Fund in 1970, and President of the National Urban League from 1971 to 1981, where he fought for equal rights for African Americans.

Jordan was shot in an attempted murder attempt outside his hotel after returning from a public speaking event in Fort Wayne, IN, on May 29 1980. He was rushed to the hospital and had five surgeries for his critical injuries. During his extended three-month recovery at the hospital, President Jimmy Carter visited Jordan, which became a prominent media moment.

The influential civil rights leader was also directly involved in politics. Jordan was famously known for being a campaign advisor and co-chair for former President Clinton’s transition team, a historic moment since he was the first African American to get that position. One of Jordan’s most prominent influences in the administration was his encouragement for Clinton to pass the NAFTA agreement in 1993. He also worked with a plethora of other Presidents, including Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

The political advisor and civil rights leader has received over 55 honorary degrees, a Spingarn Medal from the NAACP for outstanding achievement, and sat on countless boards of directors.

Vernon Jordan’s roles in so many historic moments in U.S. history paved the way for so many African Americans. His legacy of standing up for justice and equality is incredibly inspiring.