An ongoing illustrative history study
This piece originally posted 7/22/2020
Prelude | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Email |
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"The difference between de jure and de facto segregation is the difference between open, forthright bigotry and the shamefaced kind that works through unwritten agreements between real estate dealers, school officials, and local politicians."
A lifelong New Yorker and the daughter of immigrants, Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm holds the distinction of being the very first African-American woman elected to Congress (D, NY-12). Originally elected in 1964 to the Brooklyn District of the New York State Assembly, she secured her seat in the House of Representatives in 1968, handily beating James Farmer (see Lesson #17 of this same series). Chisholm ultimately served seven terms in the House of Representatives, retiring in 1983. During that time she introduced more than 50 pieces of legislation aimed at racial and gender equality, was a leading proponent of ending the Vietnam War, campaigned fiercely for the Equal Rights Amendment, founded the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971, and --perhaps most significantly-- ran for President in 1972.
Chisholm's path to the White House was (predictably) fraught with roadblocks, not the least of which included disdain from her own party leadership as not being a "serious" candidate. The campaign was also woefully underfunded even by 1972 standards. Nevertheless she ran in 12 statewide primaries and garnered 152 of the delegates' votes (10% of the total, which included all of Hubert Humphrey's committed delegates). At one point Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem both attempted to run as Chisholm delegates during the nomination process, and in June Chisholm became the first woman to participate in a Presidential debate.
In spite of this, Chisholm's legacy remains one of hope: she founded the National Women's Political Caucus and was later inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Senator Kamala Harris both cite Chisholm as one of their principal inspirations. She was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in November 2015.
Recommended reading:
Catalyst For Change by Barbara Winslow
The Shirley Chisholm Project at Brooklyn College:
http://chisholmproject.com/
https://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/academics/schools/education/partnerships/chisholm.php
Next page - Lesson 21: Dorothy Dandridge