Shirley Chisholm 

The First 

Shirley Chisholm was born November 30, 1924 and in 1968, she became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress.

Shirley excelled in school and once she graduated from college, she worked as a teacher in early child-hood education. 

Later she would become involved in politics and joined the Democratic party.  She knew from the beginning that by being African American and a woman, the two “strikes’ against her would but she was elected into the New York State Assembly in 1964. 

Within four years she was elected to Congress. Her heart was in being the voice for expanding for and nutrition programs for the poor. 

I would guess that while working in early child-hood education, she saw close and upfront the struggle for hungry children to learn. She shared that her grandmother taught her at an early age that she ‘was somebody’ and knew the importance of teaching this to young children. 

She was a steady advocate and authority on early education and child-welfare issues. 

In her autobiography, Unbought and Unbossed, she shared that her parent’s strict discipline about education played a great part in her ability to communicate and write well. 

This is one of Girls and Boys of Character’s focus as well. 

She would also become an advocate for the integration of black soldiers in the military during World War II.

Shirley was a great debater and this skill would lead to her success when she spoke for the most vulnerable and those without a voice. 

She was instrumental the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children

The Presidency 

In 1972, Shirley Chisholm became the first African American to run for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, this made her also the first women ever to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.  

While she did not win the campaign, despite her life being threatened, she did not stop. 

She would later advocate for minimum wage for domestic workers, discrimination against women, especially those that were poor. 

Her life is a testament to what compassion for others and tenacity can do despite having all odds against you. 

Shirley Chisholm passed January 1, 2005.  Her work will never be forgotten. 

Picture credit: Wikipedia