On Nov. 30, Shirley Chisholm would have turned 100 years old.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Chisolm died on January 1, 2005, at 80.
Almost 30 years after her death, Chisholm’s contributions are still making a difference on the American political landscape. Although Vice President Kamala Harris was unsuccessful in her bid to become the first woman—and the first of Black and Asian descent—to become President of the United States, her loss in no way minimizes Chisholm’s impact.
The vice president’s very role and 107-day campaign for the White House are clear signs of Chisholm’s significant contributions.
Harris often said on the campaign trail, “We stand on the shoulders of Shirley Chisholm, and Shirley Chisholm stood proud.”
Before her historic presidential run in 1972, Chisholm was elected to Congress in 1968, representing the 12th congressional district of Brooklyn. Her election also made her the first Black woman to serve in Congress.
A fellow Democrat and member of the New York Congressional Delegation, former Rep. Charlie Rangel, fondly recalled in a 2020 interview with CBS News: “I heard more about Brooklyn than I wanted to know. She was a forceful orator. Shirley Chisholm’s voice was heard more, moreso than most members of Congress.”
Chisholm and Rangel were founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus on March 30, 1971.
By the time Chisholm announced her bid for the White House on January 25, 1972, she had already broken barriers, made waves in Congress, and made her mark on history books.
“We are entering a new era, in which we must, as Americans, demand stature and size from our national leadership – leadership which is fresh, leadership which is open, and leadership which is receptive to the problems of all Americans,” Chisholm said when kicking off her groundbreaking campaign.
Unfortunately, Chisholm did not break the glass ceiling, nor did Hillary Clinton in 2016 or Harris on Nov. 5. However, may the losses of these three qualified women not be a source of discouragement but an inspiration to elect a female American president in our lifetime.
The barrier-breaking woman who will one day occupy the Oval Office will stand on the shoulders of Chisholm, Clinton, and Harris.
So until America can say “Madame President,” let us all remember the words of the late Rep. Chisholm: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring your own folding chair.”
Keywords: Shirley Chisholm, 100th birthday, Political pioneer, Barrier breaker, Equality advocate
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