Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was the first African American woman in Congress (1968) and the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties (1972). Her motto and title of her autobiography—Unbossed and Unbought—illustrated her outspoken advocacy for women and minorities during her seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Source: Hello Beautiful
Sen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Yvette Clarke want the imagery of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to Congress, erected in the U.S. Capitol. On Tuesday the legislators announced their plans to co-sponsor a bicameral bill for the statue’s placement.
Chisholm is a shining beacon in American politics. In 1972, Chisholm made history becoming the first Black woman to run for president on either the Democrat or Republican ticket. Her passion for education was one of the many tenants she fought for during her tenure as a congresswoman. The Bedford-Stuyvesant native served seven terms in congress representing the state of New York, from 1968-1983. She left congress to teach in Florida, where she later died in 2005 at the age of 80.
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