Shirley Chisholm, First African-American Woman in Congress, Is Born in Brooklyn, NY
A pioneering politician, educator, and author, Shirley Chisholm was born on this day. She served as the first African-American woman elected to Congress (see November 5, 1968).
One of her best statements was “Service is the rent that you pay for room on this earth.”
Chisholm was also the first African-American woman to campaign to be the presidential candidate of one of the two major political parties (January 25, 1972). She was also a founding member of both the Congressional Black Caucus (March 30, 1971) and National Women’s Political Caucus (July 10, 1971).
Read: Shirley Chisholm, Unbought and Unbossed (1970)
Hear Chisholm speaking in 1972: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzM8fgRDI24
Watch Shirley Chisholm on how she wanted to be remembered: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31fzqYfqgGI
Learn more about women who ran for President: https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/president/president.html
Visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture here