Shirley Chislom Honored in NY

She was the one of the posts on the "A Mighty Girl" facebook page today. I love this quote from her (while speaking at colleges), "If you don't accept others who are different, it means nothing that you've learned calculus."

AMG article below -

Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, was born on this day in 1924. The child of immigrant parents from the Caribbean, Chisholm was first elected in 1968, after running with the campaign slogan "Unbought and Unbossed." She served seven terms as Representative for New York's 12th Congressional District. Among her legislative achievements, Chisholm, played a major role in the creation of the WIC Program, a federal nutrition program that provides assistance to low-income pregnant women and young children.

A founding member of the National Women's Political Caucus, Chisholm announced that she was running for president in 1972, making her the first woman to ever run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. While she received the endorsement of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and support from prominent women's rights leaders, including Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan, Chisholm received little support from most of her male colleagues and encountered significant sexism during her campaign. Historian Ellen Fitzpatrick, an expert in women in politics, observed that “her campaign, from the beginning, [was] very significant in what it revealed about the political process." In speaking later about her experience, Chisholm said, "When I ran for the Congress, when I ran for president, I met more discrimination as a woman than for being black. Men are men." Although she did not win the nomination, Chisholm continued to serve in Congress until 1983.

Following her political career, Chisholm taught politics at Mount Holyoke College. She also frequently spoke at colleges around the country, often addressing the need for greater tolerance and an end to political polarization: "If you don't accept others who are different, it means nothing that you've learned calculus," she told students. Chisholm also continued to encourage women to get involved in politics, asserting, "if they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair." Chisholm died in 2005 at the age of 80, and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 by President Barack Obama.

Shirley Chisholm is among the 40 pioneering black women featured in the illustrated biography, "Little Leaders," for ages 7 to 10 at www.amightygirl.com/little-leaders

She is also featured in the book, "Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters," for ages 8 to 12 at www.amightygirl.com/let-it-shine

To inspire children and teens with stories of real-life girls and women who fought for change throughout history, visit our blog post, "40 Books About Women Who Fought for Change," at www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14364

For our favorite t-shirt honoring women throughout history who were willing to shake up the system, check out the "Well behaved women seldom make history" t-shirt -- available in a variety of styles and colors for all ages -- at www.amightygirl.com/well-behaved-women-history-shirt

Thanks to The Women's Fund of Central Ohio for sharing this graphic!
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Aw, your uncle must have been a cool guy, @really Red!
And thanks for sharing the AMG piece, Julee!

She was the commencement speaker at my college graduation. She's such an amazing role model.

I may be the only Pea who actually voted for her in 1972 in the presidential race. That was in my feminist bra burning days. That was an exciting time. It was about the same time I met Gloria Steinem who became my idol.

Not quite sure what the poster above meant. Shirley C. Sort of disappeared off the national scene once the presidential election was over. Her name seldom came up in Ms. magazine...that was before the internet and Ms, magazine was one of the only sources of info out there regarding the early feminist movement. I’ll always remember a cover of Ms. that had a tan shirtless Robert Redford with a hammer suggesting that feminists should consider dating blue collar guys. So I rushed out and dated a mechanic, PTL I didn’t end up with him as he was a drunk. But II was too naive to pass judgement and I assumed I could cure him...duh.
That was after a study came out that women over 30 who had a college education had only a 5% chance of ever getting married...honest...that was the common belief. So my roommate’s mother told her to claim she was divorced so she had a better chance of finding a husband. It worked. Instead of some jerk deriding you at age 30 snarkily asking what’s wrong with you, they just assumed you were OK when you claimed I was married for a short time at nineteen..terrible mistake and quickly divorced. Suddenly, you were acceptable to date.
You Peas May find that difficult to believe but that was the 70’s.