Category:BiographiesPaper black woman to be elected tocongress,

Category:BiographiesPaper black woman to be elected tocongress,

Category:BiographiesPaper Title:shirley chisholmText:A political leader for many years, and a co-founder of the National womensPolitical Caucus, Shirley Chisholm is the one of the most famous African -American woman in politics. She was the first black woman to be elected tocongress, and also was the first black women to run for president (1972). Shewas even asked by bill Clinton to serve as American ambassador to Jamaica.But this isnt her whole life, so in these further paragraphs I plan to tellyou about her great and wonderful life.

In 1924 Shirley Chisholm was born by parents Charles St. Hill and ruby seale,who had immigrated to Brooklyn from Barbados in the early 1920s. Shirley wasthe oldest out of 4 girls, her other 3 sisters being Odessa, Muriel, and Selma.When Shirley was 3 her parents sent her to live with her grandmother (on hermothers side) in Barbados where there was more room to run and play. At hergrandmothers Shirley lived with her 4 cousins.

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There was no running water, orelectricity here so the children had to do many chores like getting fresh water,cleaning the house, tending to the garden and feeding animals at the farm.However the reward was to go to the beach and swim, play, and run in the clearwaters of the Caribbean.Then in 1934, when Shirley was 10, an event happened that would change herlife forever. Her parents, the St.

Hills decided to take Shirley back toBrooklyn. Brooklyn was very different from her grandmothers farm and Shirleyfound herself getting very confused and getting lost in the streets andneighborhoods.The St. Hills were the first blacks in a neighborhood of whites, Jewishimmigrants, and 1st generation Americans.

Shirley and her father often had longtalks about politics and social issues. Also the St. Hills friends, West Indianimmigrants , would have long late night discussions about debates and socialpolitics. They often talked about the problems they faced because of theircolor. She would take these discussions in to mind and vowed to make adifference.Although Shirley and her sisters were among the few blacks at her school, andamong the few of their religion, Shirley was determined to be heard. Shirley wasbranded as a trouble maker because she was always willing to do whatever sheneeded to be heard.

As this was happening she joined many committees and clubslike the Bedford Political league (Shirley moved to the Bedford neighborhood in1936). The purpose of the Bedford Political league was to get blacks elected toevery level of government. Shirley was also in the national Association for theAdvancement of Colored People and the League of Women Voters. Then Shirleydecided that it wasnt fare to judge people on the color of their skin , andthat she wouldnt spend her whole life fighting racism.Shirley excelled in highschool and graduated from Girls High in 1942. Shethen accepted a scholarship and attended Brooklyn College. After receiving herBA at Brooklyn college Shirley attended Columbia where she received her mastersDegree.

Then in 1949 while still in Columbia University she fell in love andmarried a quiet man named Conrad Chisholm.Although she was becoming more and more famous she still had 2 main obstaclesto overcome, she was black, and was a women. These 2 obstacles limited thefields she could go into.

She then chooses politics remembering the decisionsher and her father had talked about when she was a child. So in 1960 Mrs.Chisholm formed the Unity Democratic Club, which tried to get black leaderselected to the New York Assembly. This club was very popular and well-known, andby 1962 the club had their first victory. Tom Jones, an African American manwas elected to the New York Assembly. In 1964 Shirley Chisholm decided that shewas tired of doing all the work for other people and decided to run forassembly. Then in 1964 she was victorious and was elected to the New YorkAssembly.

When she arrived at the capital she was only 1 of 6 black assemblymembers, and she was the only black woman. One of the most important bills anAssembly woman Chisholm got passed was a program called SEEK. This programhelped young men and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.Shirley learned many things as an assembly women, and in 1968 she ran for theU.S.

Congress. Shirley used strategies such as speaking Spanish in Spanish andPuerto Rican areas, and when her counterpart, James Farmer, said that governmentwas a mans job in a district where women voters outnumbered men voters. Thesestrategies and plain old hardwork paid off when in November of 1968 ShirleyChisholm Beat James Farmer by a two and one half to one margin. While inCongress Chisholm was placed in the Agriculture Committee, and was assigned thesub -committees forestry and rural development. She felt that these two subcommittees had nothing to do with the poor black, Hispanic and white peopleof the Bedford neighborhood.

Shrilly was enraged, so she called the speaker ofthe house, John McCormick, and she explained her predicament. He agreed to seewhat he could do, but no more. Chisholm was not happy with his decision anddecided to go to the floor and speak about her problem. She made a brief, butpowerful speech, and was then assigned to the Veterans Affaires Committee.

Whilein Congress Shirley choose two major themes, to be a leader for women andAfrican Americans across the country. Also, while in Congress Chisholmfought for jobs, education, enforcement for anti-discrimination laws, and othersocial issues, while opposing the Vietnam War and giving more money up for thewar. She was in support of repealing anti-abortion laws, she wanted equal rightsfor women, more daycare centers and better working conditions for both men andwomen.

The 4 years Shirley Chisholm spent in congress was a good experience for heras she learned a lot about Congress and politics. She believed that she learnedenough to run for president under a democratic nomination. But the experiencedshe lacked and the little money she had caused her defeat at the DemocraticConvention to Goerge McGovern, who later lost to Richard Nixon. Like being thefirst black women to be in Congress, she was the first black women to run forpresident.With Shirley Chisholm now knowingthat she could probably never bepresident because she was a womenshe contiuned her career as a congresswomenuntil 1982, when she retired to return to an early childhood dream, teaching.

She tought at Mt. Holyoke College, until she moved to Flordia.Today Mrs.

Chisholm keeps a low profile, but still remains active in politicsand is now writing a book. She is still remembered for being the first blackwomen in congress, and being the first black women to run for precedence . In myopinion, Shirley Chisholm was a great, very strong, smart, and has a lot ofcourage.

Shirley Chisholm once said at a Spelman College speech Success comesfrom doing to the best of your ability what you know in your heart are rightthings to do. I agree 100% with this quote because I think it is wrong to dothings you dont believe in, and if you want something done you might as welldo the best that you can. I also believe that Shirley Chisholm is a success andhas done successful things for the nation that not many other people are cabableof doing.Biographies

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