Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to run for the US presidency (half a century before Kamala Harris)

On November 5, Kamala Harris will be the first black woman to compete for the presidency of the United States. But she is not the first candidate from that minority who aspires to reach that position.

Half a century ago – more specifically 52 years – another African-American politician launched her presidential candidacy for the same party as Harris, the Democrat.

Her name was Shirley Chisholm, and here we will tell you who she was (and why this pioneer who some consider is not better known). paved the way for successors like Harris).

Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1924 and spent part of his childhood with his grandmother in Barbados, before returning with his parents to his hometown to finish his studies.

After graduating as teacherworked in the field of child welfare, where she developed a strong interest in politics.

He was a member of the New York State Assembly and in 1968 he made history by becoming the first black woman to be elected to the US Congress.

“I have no intention of remaining silent and observing. I propose to speak out immediately to focus on the nation’s problems,” Chisholm said upon assuming her new position in the House of Representatives.

His electoral victory, within the framework of the fight for civil rights of the time, was a great milestone not without challenges.

“Can you imagine being a woman and a black woman in Congress back then?” said the congresswoman. Barbara Leea representative from California since 1998 and one of 29 black women currently serving in the US Congress.

According to Lee, who entered politics with Chisholm as the first black woman and second female to serve on the influential House Rules Committee, she broke many glass ceilings.

“Some men in Congress didn’t respect her, she just stood out but they didn’t understand her. But she didn’t bend. She wasn’t there to ingratiate herself; she was there to change things.”

• “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring your own seat.”
• “A tremendous amount of talent is wasted in our society just because that talent wears a skirt.”
• “The emotional, sexual and psychological stereotyping of women begins when the doctor says, ‘It’s a girl!'”
• “For God’s sake, what do we want? What does any human being want? Remove the accidental pigmentation from a thin layer of outer skin and there is no difference between me and anyone else.”
• “At the end of the day, anti-black, anti-female, and all forms of discrimination amount to the same thing: anti-humanism.”

In his 14 years as a congressman, Chisholm worked hard to “change things,” promoting legislation to protect to the less privileged and minority groups.

She promoted a bill to ensure that domestic workers received social benefits and advocated for better access to education and immigrant rights.

She also promoted a rule to expand child care for working women, supported school lunch legislation, and helped establish a national commission for consumer protection and product safety.

Chisholm also worked tirelessly to expand the government’s food assistance stamps so that they were available in all states.

And he was instrumental in establishing an additional plan, the Special Nutritional Supplement Program for Women, Infants and Children, which provided support for pregnant women.

In politics, Chisholm found her gender presented an even greater obstacle than her race. “I encountered more discrimination as a woman than as a black person. men are men“he once said.

“She had guts and gave confidence to others to believe that they too could become someone, that we are equal, that your gender doesn’t mean you can’t reach the highest position in government,” said her goddaughter Marya Boseley.

That desire to break barriers is what motivated Chisholm to run for president in 1972seeking the Democratic nomination, just three years after becoming a representative to the Lower House.

“I took the plunge because most people thought that the country was not ready for a black candidate, nor prepared for a woman candidate. Someday. 1972 was the moment when that someday would arrive,” he said in an interview at the time. .

Chisholm, whose slogan was “Neither sold nor bossed around,” acknowledged that never expected to winbut his candidacy will change “the face and future of American politics.”

“I stand before you today to repudiate the ridiculous notion that the American people will not vote for qualified candidates, simply because he is not white or because he is not a man“, he declared to his followers when launching his campaign.

“I do not believe that, in 1972, the vast majority of Americans continue to harbor such a narrow and petty prejudice,” he added.

Legislator Lee met Shirley Chisholm for the first time during her presidential campaign.

At the time, Lee, a single mother on welfare, was president of the black student union at Mills College.

“When I told her I wanted to work for her, she challenged me and made me register to vote first. She told me that if I wanted to change things, I should get into politics.”

It was not an easy campaign. Chisholm survived several assassination attempts and had to file a lawsuit to ensure she was included in the televised debates.

He managed to reach the Democratic convention, where lost the nomination to George McGovernbut it left a lasting impression.

He served seven terms in Congress and retired in 1982, after which he returned to teaching.

He died in 2005 at age 80.

Despite her many accomplishments, those who were close to her say she never got the place in history she deserves.

“People ignore historyher goddaughter Boseley alleged. “When I was growing up, black history was prevalent in schools and now it’s not.”

Lee agrees that educating his heritage is insufficient, “especially when we’re still dealing with so many issues surrounding the inclusion of African Americans in society.”

The congresswoman successfully lobbied to have a Chisholm painting placed in Congress and broadcast a stamp in his honor.

And in November 2015, Chisholm was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedomthe highest civilian award presented by the US government.

“There are people in the history of our country who They don’t look left or right, they just look straight ahead.. Shirley Chisholm was one of them,” declared then-President Barack Obama to an audience gathered at the White House, when he presented the award.

“Shriley Chisholm’s example transcends her life. And when asked how she wanted to be remembered, she had one answer: ‘I would like them to say that Shriley Chisholm had guts.’ I’m proud to say: Shirley Chisholm had guts“.

And remember that you can receive notifications in our app. Download the latest version and activate them.