Shirley Chisolm

Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisolm was born in Brooklyn, New York November 30, 1924. Her mother was Barbadian and her father was Guyanese. She stepped into the spotlight in 1964 when she was elected to the New York State Legislature. In 1968 she defeated James Farmer and became the first African-American woman elected to Congress.

In 1969 Shirley became one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus. She became the first African American woman to make a bid for the Democratic Party's Presidential nomination. She received 152 delegate votes. She however lost to South Dakota's George McGovern. Her support was not just from African American voters, but actually very diverse. One noted group that supported her was the National Organization for Women. Chisholm said she ran for the office "in spite of hopeless odds, . . . to demonstrate the sheer will and refusal to accept the status quo."

Chisholm retired to Florida and died on January 1, 2005. She is buried in Forest Lawn CemeteryFebruary 2005

I know many people talk about Obama, like he was the first black to ever run for President, but lets not forget Shirley Chisholm who felt she could make a change for many in America who did not have a political voice in the system at the time. in Buffalo, NY. In