Chisholm, Shirley (1924–2005)

Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the first African American woman to run for president of the United States. Chisholm was a liberal political activist who advocated for greater spending on education, health care, and social services, promoted civil rights and women's rights, and criticized the Vietnam War and the draft. Chisholm's public political career began in 1964 with a successful campaign for a seat in the New York State Legislature. In 1968 Chisholm defeated Republican James Farmer for New York's Twelfth District congressional seat. Chisholm held that seat until retiring in 1982. In 1972, Chisholm shocked the political world by campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination as the “unbought and unbossed” ...