Essays on Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm became the first black female elected to the United States Congress in 1968. She served New York’s 12th Congressional District from 1969-1983. During this time, Chisholm delivered one of women’s rights most popular speeches, “Equal Rights for Women” in Washington D.C. to the House of Representatives on May 21, 1969 (Shah, 2015). Throughout the 60s and 70s, race wars and equal rights protests are rampant. On April 4, 1968, James Earl Ray assassinated Martin Luther King, while ...

A distinguished congresswoman, scholar, and African American spokeswoman, Shirley Anita Chisholm was the first black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Chisholm was a dynamic public speaker who boldly challenged traditional politics, ˜Fighting Shirley Chisholm™, as she called herself during her first congressional campaign, championed liberal legislation from her seat in the House beginning with her inauguration in 1968 and continuing until her retirement in 1982. She ran an ...

Shirley St. Hill was born in New York City on November 30, 1924 she was the oldest of four daughters. Her parents were Charles and Ruby St.Hill. In 1927 at age 3 Shirley was sent to live on her grandmothers farm in Barbados. She attended British grammar school and picked up the Caribbean accent that marked her speech. Shirley moved back to New York in 1934 at the age of 11 and went on to graduate in 1946 from Brooklyn College with honors later earning a masters degree from Columbia University. ...