SHIRLEY CHISHOLM:
THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN FOR PRESIDENT
MICHELE J MARTIN
On January 25th, 1972 Shirley Chisholm cemented her place in history with a speech:
"I stand before you today as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States of America.
I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud.
I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am a woman and I'm equally proud of that.
I am not the candidate of any political bosses or fat cats or special interests.
I stand here now without endorsements from many big-name politicians or celebrities or any other kind of prop. I do not intend to offer to you the tired and glib clichés, which for too long have been [an] accepted part of our political life.
I am the candidate of the people of America. "
—Shirley Chisholm
By the time she ran for the presidential nomination,
Shirley Chisholm was already historic.
Before jumping into politics herself, she was a voice for change and action. An educator and leader in League of Women Voters, National Association for the Advancement for Colored People (NAACP), Urban League and Democratic Party Club in Brooklyn.
She was elected to the New York State Legislature in 1964, in 1968 she ran for House of Representatives, winning her seat in the 12th Congressional District without the support of party leadership. With this win, she became the first Black U.S. Congresswoman, and went on to become co-founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus and, in 1971, the Congressional Black Caucus. But that wasn't enough.
In 1972, fed up with the direction the country was going, she got up on stage and in front of the media and the public, she declared her presidential bid. While she ultimately did not win the nomination, she would continue to serve for seven terms in the House, becoming the first Black woman to serve on the powerful Rules Committee.
Shirley Chisholm used her lived experiences to influence Congress, introducing over 50 pieces of legislation focused specifically on the needs of women, children, immigrants, those with low income, and people of color.
After retiring from Congress in 1983, Mrs. Chisholm resumed her educational career that she put aside when entering politics. As the Purington Chair at Mount Holyoke, she taught courses in both sociology and political science. In 1984 she would co-founded the National Congress of Black Women with C. Delores Tucker. In 1990, along with 15 other Black women and men, she would go on to form the group: African-American Women for Reproductive Freedom.
During her life and after, she impacted the lives of countless people, earning her lifelong respect. She has continued to inspire the political careers of many, including our first woman Vice President and first Black Vice President, Kamala Harris, who not only designed her campaign logo to honor Shirley Chisholm but also wore purple at her inauguration which Mrs. Chisholm was famous for wearing throughout her own presidential campaigning in 1972.
Lifetime Recognitions:
- Honorary Doctor of Laws - Aquinas College - 1974
- Honorary Doctor of Laws - Smith College - 1975
- Honorary Doctorate of Public Service - Stroudsburg University - 1991
- National Women's Hall of Fame - 1993
- Honorary Doctor of Laws - Stetson University - 1996
- 100 Greatest African Americans - 2002
Posthumous Recognitions:
- Shirley Chisholm Center for Research - Brooklyn College - 2014
- 100 Top Speeches of the 20th Century - "For the Equal Rights Amendment" - 2015
- Presidential Medal of Freedom — Awarded by Barack Obama - 2015
- Shirley Chisholm State Park - Opened in Jamaica Bay, New York - 2019
- Shirley Chisholm Monument - Prospect Park - TBD
Shirley Chisholm passed away on January 1, 2005. She was laid to rest in the Birchwood Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York. Her vault inscription reads: "Unbought and Unbossed".
Her unique characteristic vocal style - soft, yet grabs your attention . It projects expertise, instills calm, and the blend of accents from her immigrant parents and diverse neighborhood create a voice that was perfect for a politician for the people. Imagine the possibilities, if the world of digital voice matched the world of human voice. It can — learn more about AI-Voice.
Beach Ball voices are defined as Soft, High-pitched, Modal, and Nasal. Learn more about the unique characteristics that make up our voices and voice types here: VOCALiD Voice Types.
This is the second in our Iconic Black Voices series. Make sure to come back to our blog every day this month as we highlight more iconic Black voices in celebration of Black History Month.
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